Abbaye de La Chaise-Dieu

A masterpiece of southern Gothic, pontifical building burial of Clement VI, the abbey of La Chaise-Dieu is full of heritage treasures in the heart of a town from the Middle Ages

Since 2007, the abbey of La Chaise-Dieu has been at the heart of a major rehabilitation and enhancement project carried out by the Syndicat Mixte Projet Chaise-Dieu (made up of the Department of Haute-Loire, the Community of Agglomeration of Puy-en-Velay and the municipality of La Chaise-Dieu).
This large-scale project aims to "give back to seeing" the abbey in its entirety, by allowing visitors to understand its functioning and architectural organization.

The abbey of La Chaise-Dieu founded in the middle of the 11th century under the Latin name of "Casa Dei" by Robert de Turlande, former canon count of Brioude, has gone through the centuries bequeathing us a prestigious heritage enhanced by recent restorations. The museographic route opened since 2018 offers visitors the opportunity to rediscover these spaces through modern and immersive scenographies...
The abbey complex is made up of several buildings gathered around a cloister, including a magnificent 14th century Gothic abbey church housing the tomb of Pope Clement VI, 144 carved oak stalls, a flamboyant Gothic rood screen and a sumptuous organ case as well as the famous Danse Macabre fresco, a 15th century wall painting; the 17th century convent building which once housed the old dormitories, now houses the 16th century Flemish tapestries originally made to decorate the church choir, a scenography on the danse macabre and the famous echo room, a real mystery for its visitors, who each placed at a diametrically opposite angle can hear each other perfectly even while whispering... Place Lafayette at the apse of the church is dominated by the imposing 14th century Clémentine Tower and the stables found there have been transformed into an auditorium to host the shows and concerts of the cultural season. The former refectory of the abbey has become the Chapel of the Penitents.

Some of these spaces are freely accessible all year round: the St-Robert abbey church, the Chapelle des Pénitents, Place Lafayette, the Porte du For, the Place de l'écho and its renovated sundial...
The paying visit is open from April to November and allows you to discover the new renovated and themed spaces: the cloister, the echo wing with the nave of the 14 tapestries classified as Historic Monuments in 1840, the hall of the echo, the space of the Builders, the old kitchen renamed "Loge Clément VI" and the scenography on the macabre dance.
Since the beginning of summer 2022, this visit route has offered an original visit experience, a sensory circuit accessible to people with visual, hearing or mental impairments, developed by the AcceSens association as part of the "Massif Central pour tous" project. .

The abbey of La Chaise Dieu obtained in 2021 3 stars in the prestigious Michelin Green Guide.

Nearby accommodation

• Clientele: Group reception, School group reception, Special rate for students, Special rate for large families, Special rate for disabled people, Special rate for job seekers
• Environment: Village center, Lake or body of water at -5 km
• Adapted tourism: WC + grab bar + circulation space, Reception staff aware of the reception of people with disabilities

• Concert
• Temporary exhibitions
• Show

• Gothic
• Renaissance
• Roman
• Nineteenth century
• XNUMXth century
• fifteenth century
• sixteenth century
• Seventeenth century
• Eighteenth century
• Casadean site

• Number of meeting rooms: 1

• English
• Français

• Disability tourism labels: Tourism and Handicap brand - hearing impairment, Tourism and Handicap brand - mental impairment, Tourism and Handicap brand - motor impairment, Tourism and Handicap brand - visual impairment

• Elevator
• Auditorium
• Toilets
• Public toilets
• Show room
• defibrillator
• Meeting room
• Parking nearby
• Educational visits
• Room rentals
• Theme visit
• Shop
• Drop off on site for groups
• Wifi Internet access
• Tourist Documentation
• Tourist information
• Free visits
• Guided tours

• Bank / credit card
• Cheque
• Classic Holiday Vouchers
• Cash
• Bank transfer
• Culture Check