La Chaise-Dieu reveals itself through the history of its abbey and medieval town, the festival at the end of August, and hiking trails with different points of interest. When planning your trip, it is worth keeping the dates and themes separate: the festival takes place annually, the tapestry tour is scheduled seasonally, and the routes each explore different aspects of the surrounding area.
The Abbey’s History and the Medieval Town
The Abbey of La Chaise-Dieu was founded in the mid-11th century by Saint Robert de Turlande. The medieval town gradually developed around it. A free map of the medieval town is available on request from the tourist information office. It can help you discover houses with ornate façades and remnants of the fortified town walls.
The Chapelle des Pénitents also tells the story of the later use of older monastic buildings. It is located in a former monks’ refectory dating from the 15th century. At the beginning of the 19th century, the Brotherhood of the White Penitents converted the refectory into a chapel. The town’s history thus brings several periods close together: the founding of the abbey, the development of the medieval town and the later conversion of the refectory.
An abbey tour focuses on the tapestries. It covers their commission, weaving techniques, materials used and iconographic themes. The tour is scheduled seasonally; check the specific dates before your trip if it is a key part of your visit.
Festival and Cultural Programme
Every year at the end of August, the La Chaise-Dieu Festival presents around thirty ticketed concerts, free serenades and musicology lectures. It was founded in 1966 by the Hungarian pianist Georges Cziffra. The programme therefore combines performances with free serenades and lectures on musicology. If you want to plan your trip around the festival, check the dates for your chosen year: the recurring period at the end of August is a useful guide, but it does not replace the specific festival dates.
Hiking Routes and Their Different Points of Interest
PR620 Le Serpent d’or is a route suitable for everyone that combines history, legends and nature. Information boards tell local legends. Along the way, you will encounter springs, ponds, rivers, drainage ditches and irrigation systems. The same route thus brings together stories about local places, different waterscapes and ways of managing water.
Another route option is the La Chaise-Dieu–Le Puy-en-Velay trail. It successively follows the GR® de Pays de Robe de Bure et Cotte de Mailles, the GR® 40 Tour des volcans du Velay and the GR® 765 Chemin de Saint-Jacques. The Place des Moines car park is recommended for this route. Check the practical parking information before you travel. The two routes differ in their focus: Le Serpent d’or combines legends and natural features, while the route to Le Puy-en-Velay is defined by its successive use of three named long-distance hiking trails.
Planning Your Trip and Finding a Hotel
For the festival, the specific dates at the end of August matter; for the tapestry tour, check its seasonal schedule. If you choose a route, you can refer to its individual description; for the trail to Le Puy-en-Velay, the recommended parking option is also part of the planning. This makes it possible to coordinate your travel dates and personal interests without treating the festival, tour and hiking routes as a fixed day-by-day itinerary.
Discover more destinations: Coubon, Monlet, Arsac-en-Velay, Saint-Jeures, Landos, Saint-Vincent, Puy-En-Velay, Vals-Près-Le-Puy.
For the broader travel overview: Haute-Loire.
