Calvaire du Mont-Arès

About

The Calvaire du Mont-Arès de Nestier, in the department of Hautes-Pyrénées, was built in the second half of the 19th century, from 1854, thanks to the initiative and investment of a modest parish priest, Abbé L. A. Haurou-Bejottes.

This Calvary consists of twelve edicles (also called chapels or oratories) arranged in succession on the southeast slope of the village hill, Mount Ares. A chapel was erected ten years later at the summit, completed in 1880-1881 by a community house called the Monastery, whose unfortunately unfinished construction was carried out by the Benedictines of Olivetains from Saint-Bertrand-de-Cominges. This devotional site can be regarded as a sacred mountain like other European sacred mountains or as a cross path like that of Raynaude, a commune of Mas-d'Azil in the Ariège department.