Le Puy-en-Velay is a jewel in the heart of the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes region. Find here the must-see monuments to visit to make the most of your stay in Velay and discover the exceptional heritage of our city, capital of the hiking trails Saint-Jacques-of Compostela.
Le Puy-en-Velay is a City of Art and History . The Pays d'art et d'histoire (Land of Art and History) service for the greater Le Puy-en-Velay area promotes and shares the region's rich heritage with residents, young people, and tourists. Throughout the year, it offers opportunities to discover the heritage of its 72 municipalities through tours and lectures, activities tailored to different audiences, exhibitions, and publications.
Head in the stars… Just a few minutes' walk from the city center, the monumental statue of Notre-Dame de France is an astonishing feat of engineering. Erected in 1860, it was created using metal from 213 cannons captured from the Russians during the Crimean War and presented as a gift by Napoleon III.
Created by JM Bonnassieux , it measures 22,70m and weighs 835 tonnes. An extraordinary site: the Corneille rock, a former citadel, the highest point of the Le Puy basin, offers a unique panorama of the Cathedral, the city and the region with its bluish horizons.
The ascent, equipped with interpretive panels and a viewpoint indicator, is easily accessible on foot.
After an initial church built in the 5th century, the Cathedral was erected on Mount Anis . In the 12th century, the influx of pilgrims led to the addition of four bays above a vaulted porch to compensate for the slope of Mount Anis. Entry was via a staircase that opened into the middle of the central nave.
In the 1994th century, the building was considerably transformed, but the six domes and admirable painted decorations were preserved. From 1999 to XNUMX, an overall restoration allowed the restoration of the central staircase closed in the XNUMXth century, the repair of the interior facings and the reassembly of the organ with its double-sided XNUMXth century case.
A new altar was placed at the crossing of the transept, while the “pilgrims” altar, against the wall, bears the “Black Virgin” which replaced the primitive statue, burned during the Revolution.
cathedral-notre-dame-puy-en-velay
Tips
Go and discover the Penitents' Chapel inside the cathedral. Then, go out onto the Place du For and take in the 180° panorama of the city, its brick roofs and mullioned windows.
Discover Cloister and its treasures
Built in the 11th and 12th centuries, the cloister of Le Puy-en-Velay is one of the finest Romanesque ensembles in Europe . The semicircular arches are surmounted by a mosaic of white, red, and black lozenges. The chapter house is adorned with a fresco of the Crucifixion. The cloister also features a remarkable series of 12th-century historiated capitals: the four Evangelists, a centaur race, and an abbot and abbess vying for a crosier. Along with the Cathedral Treasury, discover an exceptional collection of liturgical vestments and devotional paintings embroidered from the 15th to the 20th centuries , assembled over more than thirty years.
The Puy-en-Velay basin is characterized by the presence of basaltic breccias, the most spectacular of which is that of Saint-Michel d'Aiguilhe . These exposed volcanic formations are called "necks" when they are the remains of ancient volcanic vents, such as Saint-Michel, which formed under the waters of the lake approximately 2,2 million years ago.
Technical and human prowess, the chapel built in 961 was built thanks to theBishop Godescalc who decided to build it on his return from a pilgrimage to Saint-Jacques-of Compostela. Discovered in 1955 during repair work on the altar, the treasure is made up of relics dating back to the origins of the construction. Remarkable frescoes have also been restored.
The Saint-Michel d'Aiguilhe rock is one of the most remarkable and astonishing volcanic sites in France . The rock, 82m high, and the Saint-Michel d'Aiguilhe chapel form an exceptional ensemble.
A true gem in the heart of the Henri Vinay garden , the Crozatier museum has once again become the temple of the great Velay collections after 8 years of work.
The collections are very diverse and have a remarkable encyclopedic character . They are presented in galleries dedicated to archaeology, fine arts, ethnology, lace, paleontology, natural sciences and mechanics.
Four groups punctuate the visit: The historical gallery presents local collections from Prehistory to the Renaissance. The Velay gallery is dedicated to ancestral pilgrimages as well as lace, one of the main local know-how. The Fine Arts Gallery exhibits the priceless Virgin with the Mantle (15th century), the Holy Family of Barthélémy d'Eyck (15th century) and the two famous paintings showing Vercingetorix before Caesar. The dome room with its ceiling decorated with a contemporary creation by Franck Chalendard offers a remarkable view of the upper town. The science and technology gallery presents collections of paleontology and natural history, including the famous Auvergne mastodon, which respond to an exceptional set of mechanics evoking the technological innovations of the 19th
Departing from Geneva, Cluny, Lyon or directly from Puy-en-Velay, the paths leading to Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle are today much more than a pilgrimage route. It's adventure, the real one, with the discovery of the universal heritage that surrounds these mythical paths.
Road of Saint-Jacques
the prelude to SAINT-Jacques (PR673)
Offered as a prologue to hikers heading towards Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle, this urban PR allows you to take the street Saint-Jacques in Puy-en-Velay, just like the walkers leaving for the GR65 towards Saint-Privat-d'Allier.
Starting from the Tourist Office, the 6,8km route combines heritage treasures, the upper town, the museum spaces of the Hôtel-Dieu and the Camino, the banks of the Borne, the magnificent Henri Vinay garden, the shops of the city centre… Ideal for strolling and discovering Le Puy-en-Velay in a different way!
Take the path of the stars and visualize the steps towards Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle. Through a very modern scenography, the visitor is immediately immersed in the path of Saint-Jacques. From its appearance in the Middle Ages to its current modernity, all the dimensions of the Camino are presented. A true invitation to experience, a place of welcome, advice and meeting for the walker, it is also an essential addition to the cultural life of Puy-en-Velay.
The pilgrims' café and its magnificent garden constitute a relaxing stop at the bedside of the Cathedral.
The Teaching Center
bobbin lace
Founded in 1974, the Bobbin Lace Teaching Center pursues two essential missions: maintaining the tradition and practice through teaching and safeguarding the lacemaking heritage . Over the years, the Center has gained international renown, and its correspondence courses, taken worldwide, have made it a leading institution in the field of training. Exhibition rooms host a themed exhibition each year.
The National Lace Conservatory Workshop , for its part, is attached to the general administration of the Mobilier National (National Furniture Collection), under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture. It is responsible for maintaining bobbin lace techniques: pattern making, finishing, and assembly. The lacemakers perpetuate traditional know-how by creating unique, high-quality works based on designs by internationally renowned contemporary artists. These pieces are presented to the public at exhibitions in France and abroad.
Near Puy-en-Velay, in the heart of the Borne valley, the basilica of Saint-Joseph de Bon-Espoir d'Espaly, completed in 1918, occupies the site of the former chapel of a fortified castle. The monumental statue measures 22,40 meters high and seems to respond to Notre-Dame de France located on the Corneille rock in Puy-en-Velay.
Work of Brother André Besqueut, the statue was built in reinforced concrete. Its construction was approved by Pope Pius X. The inauguration and blessing took place on April 11, 1910. During your visit, admire the chapel nestled in the rock. Around the sanctuary, a few narrow and picturesque streets make up old Espaly.
