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Abbey of La Chaise-Dieu

(vero;2022-Nov-21)

The abbey is home to wonderful works of art among others: the Choir Tapestries and the mural of the Danse Macabre (click on the links to access our dedicated photo galleries). The mural is located in the church and as such is visible all year long and is free of charge. However note that it is not allowed to visit the abbey during services and that the church is closed for visits during the music festival which is held each year during the fifteen last days of August. Click here to see the schedule of church services. As for the choir tapestries and the cloister, they are only open from mid April to early November (16 April to 6 November in 2022). Click on this link to access time and price information (9€ including audio-guide in 2022, 7€ during the music festival as some parts of the abbey are restricted at that time).

Built in the 11th century on a granite plateau at an altitude of over 1,000 metres in the heart of the Auvergne, the abbey of La Chaise-Dieu (House of God) was founded by Robert de Turlande (c.1000-d.1067), canon of Brioude, who chose to retreat in this isolated place to embark on a life of commitment to the poor, performing several miracles on the way. His reputation soon attracted many pilgrims and so many followers that he decided to build a Benedictine abbey on the site of his hermitage. The first abbey church was consecrated in 1095 by the pope Urban II (c.1035-d.1099) who had been in the region to convene the Council of Clermont which started the first crusade. Two other popes marked the history of the abbey:

Clement VI (1291-1352) who had been a monk in La Chaise-Dieu before graduating through the higher ranks of the Church. He was elected Pope in 1342 in Avignon and wishing to be buried in La Chaise-Dieu, he undertook the reconstruction of the church. It was almost finished when he died and he was buried there in April 1352. His tomb is not to be missed: right in the middle of the choir in front of the rood screen and surrounded by the stalls.
Gregory XI (1329-1378), his nephew, ordered the building of the Clementine Tower, a fortified castle keep and the highest point in the village. In 1562, the monks were able to survive a three-week siege by the Huguenots thanks to the water-well inside it. The keep also provided protection for the treasures and tapestries of the abbey in times of turmoil.

After the Revolution the abbey was closed in 1790, the monks dispersed and many buildings looted. The church eventually became the parish church of the village in 1820. Seven Brothers of the Community of Saint-Jean have taken residence in the abbey in 1984 and have taken over the role of parish clergy in 1990. La Chaise-Dieu is also home to a famous music festival focused on sacred music which takes place every summer at the end of August: a period to avoid if you are not interested in attending as the village is packed at this time and the abbey partially closed. Don't forget to check our dedicated photo galleries of the Choir Tapestries and the mural of the Danse Macabre.

The abbey dominating the village of La Chaise-Dieu with the Clementine tower in the background.

Facade of the abbey church rebuilt in the 14th century.

The choir with its stalls and the tomb of Clement VI in the middle. The famous tapestries used to hang in the bays above the stalls and above the rood screen. See this old picture to get an idea of the choir when they were still hanging there.

The tomb of Clement VI. The black marble base was originally surrounded by forty-six alabaster figures representing relatives and relations of Clement VI standing in procession. The tomb was desecrated in 1562 during the Wars of Religion and the effigy and statues were broken. The monks were able to reconstitute the effigy but only five fragments of the statues remain. Three of them are kept in the Crozatier Museum in the town of Le Puy. Click on this link to view them. The white marble effigy represents the Pope in its religious attire with his feet resting on two lions which were originally gilded and served as symbols of his authority.

The stalls dating from the end of the 14th century.

The tomb of the abbot Renaud de Montclar (14th century) featuring angels playing music. The base has been mutilated during the Revolution.

The finely carved top of Renaud de Montclar's tomb.

Angels playing the lute and the tambourine, detail of Renaud de Montclar's tomb.

An angel playing the zither, detail of Renaud de Montclar's tomb.

The cloister of the abbey. The keystones bear the coat of arms of the abbey.

The abbey seen from fields above the village with the Clementine tower on the right.

The Clementine tower, built by pope Gregory XI in the second half of the 14th century is a fortified castle keep and the highest point in the village. In 1562, the monks were able to survive a three-week siege by the Huguenots thanks to the water-well inside it. The keep also provided protection for the treasures and tapestries of the abbey in times of turmoil

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Want to see more? Go back to Rennes: Musée des Beaux-Arts or go on to La Chaise-Dieu: The Choir Tapestries or go up to Museums