The famous and unmissable Notre-Dame de France statue is undergoing restoration and will be closed to visitors for approximately 18 months. This iconic Velay landmark will, of course, remain visible from the town and surrounding monuments during the restoration work, which will allow it to welcome visitors with a new scenographic tour and new interpretive displays!
A few minutes' walk from the city center, the monumental statue of Notre-Dame de France is a technical feat that astonishes visitors. It has dominated the town of Puy-en-Velay since 1860 and remains the most visited monument in the Haute-Loire department with nearly 100.000 visitors each year. Created with the metal of 213 cannons taken from the Russians during the Crimean War and offered by Napoleon III to the town of Puy en Velay, it fascinates with its stature at the top of the Corneille rock: it measures 22,70 m high and weighs 835 tonnes!
What does the Notre-Dame de France statue represent?
The statue of Our Lady of France depicts the Virgin Mary wearing a crown of stars. She stands facing the city of Le Puy-en-Velay, crushing a serpent underfoot, while holding the Infant Jesus on her right arm as he blesses the city. Its pedestal, made of Blavozy arkose stone, is 6,70 meters high. A stone staircase of 33 steps is built into the pedestal, providing access to the interior of the statue. The statue is hollow and contains a 58-step cast-iron spiral staircase leading to the Virgin's crown.
She's one of the essential monuments in the history of the City of Puy-en-Velay. At the start of the pilgrimage to Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle, Le Puy-en-Velay is a Marian city, a sanctuary dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
A natural and volcanic pedestal
The Corneille Rock is a basalt neck 132 meters high culminating at an altitude of 741 meters in Puy-en-Velay, on which the statue of Notre-Dame de France is erected. It comes from the lower part of the chimney of an ancient volcano. The rock represents the vestige of an atypical volcanic chimney, made up of a filling of panels collapsed during successive eruptions. The historic center of Puy-en-Velay is located at its base, as is the Grand Séminaire woods.
The History of the Notre-Dame de France statue
In 1850, the bishop of Puy Joseph de Morlhon wanted to erect a monumental statue dedicated to the Virgin Mary on Corneille Rock. In 1853, a major competition was organized and among the many sculpting artists, the work of Jean-Marie Bonnassieux, originally from the Loire but based in Paris, was selected. Although a national subscription was launched, it was thanks to the donation from Emperor Napoleon III and the casting of 213 cannons from the Battle of Sevastopol won by the French over the Russians in 1855 during the Crimean War , that the statue can be built.
VISIT WITH PASS' CARD IN VELAY
Pass' Card en Velay is a unique, pre-paid ticket that gives access to 3 or 5 visits during your stay.
For a single shared ticket, you visit at a preferential rate:
- The Saint-Michel d’Aiguilhe rock and its chapel
- The Notre-Dame de France statue
- The Fortress of Polignac
- The Crozatier museum
- The cloister of Puy-en-Velay Cathedral
PRACTICAL TIPS
How do you get to the Notre-Dame de France statue?
The Notre-Dame de France statue is located rue du Cloître, in the old town of Puy-en-Velay. The equipped climb, punctuated by interpretation panels, is easily accessible on foot. From the esplanade, you overlook the town of Puy-en-Velay and its surroundings.
When was the statue built?
The Notre-Dame de France statue was erected in 1856 and then inaugurated in 1860.
How long does the visit last?
It takes around 10 minutes to access the large platform which dominates the town of Puy-en-Velay. Access to the interior of the statue is possible, right up to the crown!
To discover…
