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La Chaise-Dieu Abbey

Tourism, holidays & weekends guide in the Haute-Loire

La Chaise-Dieu Abbey - Tourism, holidays & weekends guide in the Haute-Loire
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Located at the heart of Livradois-Forez, 30 kilometres east of Lavaudieu in Haute-Loire, the old Benedictine abbey of La Chaise-Dieu, founded in the 11th century by Canon Robert de Turlande, is nowadays a major religious site in Auvergne.

In the Languedoc Gothic style, its imposing and magnificent 14th-century abbey church is remarkable, with its 17th-century pipe organ, Flamboyant Gothic rood screen and 144 carved oak stalls arranged around the tomb of Pope Clement VI. Not to be missed is the superb 15th-century fresco of the Danse Macabre, covering three panels and four pillars. It shows cadavers leading characters from medieval society to their deaths, be they authority figures, bourgeois or members of the lower classes.

Originally located in the monks' choir of the abbey church, the famous Flemish tapestries are now on display in the old Chapel of Our Lady of the College of La Chaise-Dieu. These fourteen superb tapestries from the early 16th century depict scenes from the life of Christ.

Also worth seeing is the beautiful Gothic cloister adjoining the abbey church, of which two galleries remain.

Renowned for its exceptional acoustics, the Abbey Church of St. Robert hosts the famous La Chaise-Dieu music festival at the end of August every year, a major event devoted to sacred and symphonic music.

Additional information
La Chaise-Dieu Abbey

Located in La Chaise-Dieu, in Haute-Loire, in Auvergne, and the highest abbey in Europe at altitude, this monastic complex is an essential attraction for holidaymakers.

Composed of the Saint-Robert abbey church and a Penitents' chapel which was once the refectory of the monks (free entry all year round), a sumptuous cloister of Gothic architecture and abbey buildings housing the superb collection of Flemish tapestries from the 16th century and the famous echo room from the 17th century (included in a paying museum tour open from April to November), the site is a must-see place for historical discovery and wealth.

The abbey church housing the tomb of Pope Clement VI offers remarkable works: 144 sculpted stalls from the 14th century, the famous fresco of La Danse macabre from the 15th century, the magnificent organ case from the 17th century as well as a flamboyant rood screen.

Cloister of the abbey (© Luc Olivier)
Cloister of the abbey (© Luc Olivier)
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Gallery of Flemish Tapestries (© Luc Olivier)
Gallery of Flemish Tapestries (© Luc Olivier)
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One of the 14 tapestries of La Chaise-Dieu (© Luc Olivier)
One of the 14 tapestries of La Chaise-Dieu (© Luc Olivier)
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Organ sideboard of the abbey
Organ sideboard of the abbey
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