Saint-Chef, the abbey city
Presentation
The history of the village of Saint-Chef is directly linked to that of its Benedictine abbey, listed as an Historical Monument in 1840 for its Romanesque church among the oldest in Dauphine and chapel of the Angels, covered with 12th century frescoes.
The abbey of Saint-Chef, through its influence for twelve centuries, has deeply marked the local landscape. The story begins in the hamlet of Arcisse at the beginning of the 6th century, where the young Theudère, a native of the hamlet, decided to leave everything to join the Lérins Abbey.
Ordained in Arles, he returned 'home' to establish four monasteries, including that of Val Rupéen, probably on the site of the current church. Destroyed by barbarian raids, it was rebuilt in 890 by Benedictine monks from Champagne and experienced a remarkable boom.
So much so that, in the 11th century, the church was enlarged and highly decorated, in the 12th century, with Romanesque frescoes, illustrating Saint John's vision of the Heavenly Jerusalem, the eternal city. The abbey then extended its patronage to a dozen priories and a hundred parishes in the area.
Becoming a noble chapter in 1536, the remaining twenty-eight canons decided to leave the site in 1774, to join the abbey of Saint-André-le-Bas in Vienne.
Abandoned, then damaged during the French Revolution, the church was rescued from the ravages of time and men thanks to Prosper Mérimée who created the first inventory of Historic Monuments in 1840. From that point, the church was cleaned up by removing the four metres of earth that had slipped on its northern and eastern flanks, and the Romanesque frescoes were protected.
Ordained in Arles, he returned 'home' to establish four monasteries, including that of Val Rupéen, probably on the site of the current church. Destroyed by barbarian raids, it was rebuilt in 890 by Benedictine monks from Champagne and experienced a remarkable boom.
So much so that, in the 11th century, the church was enlarged and highly decorated, in the 12th century, with Romanesque frescoes, illustrating Saint John's vision of the Heavenly Jerusalem, the eternal city. The abbey then extended its patronage to a dozen priories and a hundred parishes in the area.
Becoming a noble chapter in 1536, the remaining twenty-eight canons decided to leave the site in 1774, to join the abbey of Saint-André-le-Bas in Vienne.
Abandoned, then damaged during the French Revolution, the church was rescued from the ravages of time and men thanks to Prosper Mérimée who created the first inventory of Historic Monuments in 1840. From that point, the church was cleaned up by removing the four metres of earth that had slipped on its northern and eastern flanks, and the Romanesque frescoes were protected.
Période(s) d'ouvertureAll year round, daily.
Themes
- Type of culturel patrimony :
- Historic site and monument
- categories :
- Classified or listed (CNMHS)
- Historical patrimony :
- Historic patrimony
- Medieval town
- Style :
- Roman
- Period :
- 12th C
- 11th C
Useful Information
- Visit :
- Guided tours
- Educational visits
- Themed tour
- Individual tour services :
- Unguided individual tours available permanently
- Guided individual tours on request
- Interior facilities :
- Restaurant
- Parking :
- Parking
- Cultural leisure facilities :
- Exhibition space
- Book shop
- Media library
- Leisure facilities :
- Bar
- Picnic area
- Orientation board
- Services :
- Pets welcome
- Group tour services :
- Guided group tours on request
- Unguided group tours available permanently
- Guided group tours obligatory
- Tour language(s) :
- French
- English
- Help for client/practical :
- Tourist brochures
- Tourist information
- Tourist routes
- Information panel language(s) :
- French
- Audio-guide language(s) :
- English
- French
- Pokemon Go :
- Pokestop
Tarifs
Free access. If you want to visit the church :
- access to the lower part of the church is free.
- in the interests of safety and conservation, the high chapel and its famous Romanesque frescoes is only accessible with a guide and by reservation. Guided tours are offered every Sunday at 3:00pm from April to December. For groups, visits are possible all year round (prior booking required). For more information, please contact the Saint-Chef Tourist Information Office.
- access to the lower part of the church is free.
- in the interests of safety and conservation, the high chapel and its famous Romanesque frescoes is only accessible with a guide and by reservation. Guided tours are offered every Sunday at 3:00pm from April to December. For groups, visits are possible all year round (prior booking required). For more information, please contact the Saint-Chef Tourist Information Office.
Contact
Saint-Chef, the abbey city
38890
Saint-Chef
Phone : +33 4 74 27 73 83
- Spoken language(s) :
FICHE_INFO_SIMPLE_LIBELLE_DESTINATION
Saint-Chef, cité abbatiale
38890
Saint-Chef
GPS coordinates
Latitude : 45.634063
Longitude : 5.366167
