The cross located at the summit of the Vieux Chaillol, in the French Alps, was vandalized on August 15, the solemnity of the Assumption of the Virgin. One of its arms was cut off by unknown individuals in a new attack against a Christian symbol that had already suffered another act of vandalism in October 2025.
So far, those responsible have not been identified or detained. The cross is located at 3,163 meters above sea level, on one of the emblematic peaks of the Écrins massif, in the French department of Hautes-Alpes, between the towns of Champoléon and La Motte-en-Champsaur. The region’s official tourism sources confirm both the altitude and the location of the Vieux Chaillol within the massif.
One of the cross’s arms was cut off
The attack consisted of cutting off one of the arms of the wooden structure installed at the summit. The fact that the act of vandalism took place on August 15, one of the main Marian solemnities in the Catholic calendar, adds a significant circumstance to the attack, although the identity of its perpetrators and their motivations are not yet known.
The current cross had been installed and blessed in August 2024 to replace another one placed in the same location in 1973.
Its presence at the summit is also part of a long-standing religious tradition in the area. The installation of crosses in the mountains has left a historical mark on the territory of the Écrins, where the National Park itself recalls that religious fervor is manifested in numerous crosses and chapels.
The same cross was already vandalized in 2025
This is not the first attack suffered by the structure. In October 2025, hikers discovered graffiti on the cross with the inscription «NLK 1312 Lens Fans», painted in mauve.
The cross remained at the summit afterward. Photographs published by mountaineers during the months of April and May of this year still documented its presence on the Vieux Chaillol before the new attack.
The new episode therefore represents the second known act of vandalism against the same cross in less than a year, although on this occasion the damage caused is considerably greater, as part of the structure was physically severed.
Crosses, part of the religious landscape of the Alps
Crosses located on Alpine summits have a historical presence that goes beyond their function as a reference point for hikers. They are expressly Christian symbols and, over time, have also become integrated into the heritage and traditions of numerous mountain communities.
In some places, they also serve as a memorial to people who died in the mountains. In the case of the Écrins territory, the crosses and chapels constitute a historical manifestation of the religious presence in these Alpine areas.
The Vieux Chaillol is one of the main peaks in the sector, dominating the Champsaur valley and serving as a regular destination for hikers and mountaineers. The route reaches 3,163 meters and offers views over much of the Écrins massif.
Pending the authorities’ identification of the perpetrators, the cutting of one of the arms once again places this Alpine cross at the center of an episode of vandalism barely two years after its installation and less than a year after the previous attack.