In 1530, when fortifying Saint Paul, the construction of the ramparts forced a significant group of inhabitants out of their homes, and they had to migrate further west to the lands of La Colle sur Loup. There was an old chapel there, which soon proved insufficient.
In 1572, authorization was given to build a new church to accommodate the faithful. It would be constructed starting in 1585, and the first religious service would take place during the Easter celebrations in 1619. By 1638, the work was still not completed.
A year later, in 1639, Jean Roubert donated a piece of land allowing the church to be expanded, with the condition that his family would benefit from a tomb in the nave. Saint James the Greater was built thanks to the generosity of the parishioners, which may explain the slow pace of its construction. In 1654, the Bishop of Vence, Monsignor Godeau, could only appreciate the fervor of the parishioners and the dynamism of this church.
Saint James the Greater, of Renaissance style, was completed in 1658, with the bell tower finished between 1663-1673. The apse would be added in 1800. In the second half of the 17th century, a Catholic cemetery (consecrated ground) was added next to the church. It would be relocated at the end of the 19th century, as the village developed with the arrival of the tram coming from Cagnes and especially the Provence railway line connecting La Manda to Vence, Grasse, and Meyrargues.
It was only under Louis XV that La Colle became a parish with an appointed priest. Saint James the Greater underwent two major modifications in its layout: the first one was with the Council of Trent, which led to the addition in Catholic buildings of baptismal fonts, the pulpit from which the word of God is explained, and the confessional; the second one was with Vatican II, bringing everything into the chancel, the ambo replaced the pulpit, baptisms were conducted in the chancel, and confession, having become the sacrament of reconciliation, could take place anywhere in the church, rendering the confessionals obsolete.
Saint James the Greater is located at the entrance of the village, a necessary stop on the road to Saint Paul. It stands at the center of a crossroads, inviting visitors to step inside and take a break before continuing their journey.
Thierry Jan.
