This major cathedral complex has retained a large part of its medieval constructions, united by a colorful and very rich Romanesque cloister; this also includes the Cathedral Treasury
A sanctuary dedicated to the Virgin Mary since the first centuries of Christianity, Le Puy is gradually becoming one of the starting points for the pilgrimage to Saint-Jacques-of Compostela.
The cathedral and its district crown Mount Anis, an ancient volcano on the slopes of which the city was established since the Gallo-Roman era. At the end of the 10th century, the city's fame was fully established around the devotion to a statue of the Virgin: Notre-Dame du Puy. Pilgrims coming from countries bordering France are gathering there in increasing numbers to continue towards Saint-Jacques of Compostela. This influx led to the church being enlarged twice in the 11th and 12th centuries. A cloister was then built for the use of the Chapter (the community of canons of the cathedral), who met there and constituted the bishop's council.
Between the 15th and 18th centuries, the cloister underwent various restorations. From 1842 to 1853, the architect Mallay carried out very important works of dismantling, reconstruction and restoration of the Romanesque decorations, continued by Mimey until the beginning of the 20th century, preserving the architecture's original spirit.
An exceptional Romanesque cloister and its collection of religious art
Built in the 12th century against the north side of the cathedral, this cloister with polychrome arcades offers a great diversity of Romanesque sculptures, including its 154 capitals and its sculpted frieze, partly original. Upstairs in the imposing Mâchicoulis building, you can discover the Cathedral Treasury and its collection of embroidered liturgical ornaments (Cougard-Fruman collection, 15th-19th centuries). In high season (July and August), discover the hidden treasures in the lower room of the Mâchicoulis building and its underground passages.
The chapter house or Chapter room hosted the assemblies of the canons of the cathedral. From the 14th century, this room became a funerary chapel dedicated to the canons, after the arrangement of their tomb. The funerary slabs preserve the memory of the canons buried in the 14th and 15th centuries, from the noble families of Velay. The south wall is decorated with a fresco representing the Crucifixion, the high quality of which testifies to Byzantine inspiration at the end of the 12th century.
The Machicoulis building dominates the city of Puy-en-Velay from the top of its five levels; a key element for the defense of the cathedral complex, it demonstrated above all the seigniorial power of the canons and the power of the Chapter over the upper town. It housed a seigniorial hall, now a space for the Ors et Broderies exhibition, as well as the canons' library (chapel of the Blessed Sacrament in the cathedral). Serving as a buttress to the cloister, this building has two levels located below the Romanesque cloister. Since 2018, the lower room, a former vaulted cellar from the 13th century, has presented a documentary devoted to the construction of the cathedral complex over 2000 years. Finally, the remains of the former dungeon of the canons (Saint-Mayol tower) are now accessible via the cloister underground passages.
A cathedral district to discover
In high season and subject to changes in sanitary conditions, guided tours provide a better understanding of this complex ensemble (Machicolations building, Clergeons' residence, Baptistery).
The underground parts present a film which recalls the stages of construction of the cathedral complex since Antiquity, but also an exhibition (panels, samples) to discover the materials used, the particular geology of the upper town, in connection with the diagnoses and work in progress carried out by the DRAC Auvergne Rhônes-Alpes. A game booklet will be offered to young audiences, who will be able to discover the heritage and its construction sites, in the cloister and all around the cathedral district.
Discover unusual places on a guided tour… A stone's throw from the cloister, the baptistery preserves the oldest structures of the cathedral complex (6th-10th centuries); likewise, the clergymen's lodge retains a prestigious 12th century habitat, as evidenced by the griffins' room, decorated with frescoes and a rare Romanesque fireplace. The fireplace and the painted decoration imitating Byzantine silk suggest the high social rank of its first occupants, before the building welcomed the little clerks or Clergeons in modern times.
The clergeons' residence and the baptistery are only open for guided tours in July and August (maximum 18 people, reservation recommended).
In high season and subject to changes in sanitary conditions, guided tours provide a better understanding of this complex ensemble (Machicolations building, Clergeons' residence, Baptistery).
This summer 3 guided tours at no extra charge are offered:
-10:30 a.m.: Classic visit (cloister - Chapter room - Treasury) [duration 1 hour]
On Monday and Friday, this visit is extended by an exterior route linked to the restoration work planned on the cathedral complex: in addition to the Romanesque cloister, this route allows you to discover both the materials of medieval construction, in connection with the volcanic site, and the restoration work in progress [Duration 1h15, departure and return to the cloister]
- 14 p.m.: Classic visit (cloister- chapter room- Treasury). [Duration 30 hour].
-15:30 p.m.: Extended visit: this visit allows access to spaces not accessible on a self-guided tour: the Clergeons' dwelling (griffin room, fresco and fireplace from the 12th century), the north gallery of the cathedral (fresco of St-Michel , 11th century), the Saint-Jean baptistery. Departure and return to the cloister. [Duration approximately 1h15].
Last possible entry to the Cloister at 17:45 p.m.
The free visit with a document is of course possible, and makes it possible to discover the cloister, the chapter room, the room of the States of Velay (Treasure and collection of European liturgical embroideries), and finally an underground route (base of the tower St Mayol, cryptoporticus, lower room of the Machicoulis building).
Duration: 30 mms to 1 hour
A game booklet will be offered to the young public, who will thus be able to discover the heritage and its construction sites, in the cloister and all around the cathedral district.
The cathedral and its district crown Mount Anis, an ancient volcano on the slopes of which the city was established since the Gallo-Roman era. At the end of the 10th century, the city's fame was fully established around the devotion to a statue of the Virgin: Notre-Dame du Puy. Pilgrims coming from countries bordering France are gathering there in increasing numbers to continue towards Saint-Jacques of Compostela. This influx led to the church being enlarged twice in the 11th and 12th centuries. A cloister was then built for the use of the Chapter (the community of canons of the cathedral), who met there and constituted the bishop's council.
Between the 15th and 18th centuries, the cloister underwent various restorations. From 1842 to 1853, the architect Mallay carried out very important works of dismantling, reconstruction and restoration of the Romanesque decorations, continued by Mimey until the beginning of the 20th century, preserving the architecture's original spirit.
An exceptional Romanesque cloister and its collection of religious art
Built in the 12th century against the north side of the cathedral, this cloister with polychrome arcades offers a great diversity of Romanesque sculptures, including its 154 capitals and its sculpted frieze, partly original. Upstairs in the imposing Mâchicoulis building, you can discover the Cathedral Treasury and its collection of embroidered liturgical ornaments (Cougard-Fruman collection, 15th-19th centuries). In high season (July and August), discover the hidden treasures in the lower room of the Mâchicoulis building and its underground passages.
The chapter house or Chapter room hosted the assemblies of the canons of the cathedral. From the 14th century, this room became a funerary chapel dedicated to the canons, after the arrangement of their tomb. The funerary slabs preserve the memory of the canons buried in the 14th and 15th centuries, from the noble families of Velay. The south wall is decorated with a fresco representing the Crucifixion, the high quality of which testifies to Byzantine inspiration at the end of the 12th century.
The Machicoulis building dominates the city of Puy-en-Velay from the top of its five levels; a key element for the defense of the cathedral complex, it demonstrated above all the seigniorial power of the canons and the power of the Chapter over the upper town. It housed a seigniorial hall, now a space for the Ors et Broderies exhibition, as well as the canons' library (chapel of the Blessed Sacrament in the cathedral). Serving as a buttress to the cloister, this building has two levels located below the Romanesque cloister. Since 2018, the lower room, a former vaulted cellar from the 13th century, has presented a documentary devoted to the construction of the cathedral complex over 2000 years. Finally, the remains of the former dungeon of the canons (Saint-Mayol tower) are now accessible via the cloister underground passages.
A cathedral district to discover
In high season and subject to changes in sanitary conditions, guided tours provide a better understanding of this complex ensemble (Machicolations building, Clergeons' residence, Baptistery).
The underground parts present a film which recalls the stages of construction of the cathedral complex since Antiquity, but also an exhibition (panels, samples) to discover the materials used, the particular geology of the upper town, in connection with the diagnoses and work in progress carried out by the DRAC Auvergne Rhônes-Alpes. A game booklet will be offered to young audiences, who will be able to discover the heritage and its construction sites, in the cloister and all around the cathedral district.
Discover unusual places on a guided tour… A stone's throw from the cloister, the baptistery preserves the oldest structures of the cathedral complex (6th-10th centuries); likewise, the clergymen's lodge retains a prestigious 12th century habitat, as evidenced by the griffins' room, decorated with frescoes and a rare Romanesque fireplace. The fireplace and the painted decoration imitating Byzantine silk suggest the high social rank of its first occupants, before the building welcomed the little clerks or Clergeons in modern times.
The clergeons' residence and the baptistery are only open for guided tours in July and August (maximum 18 people, reservation recommended).
In high season and subject to changes in sanitary conditions, guided tours provide a better understanding of this complex ensemble (Machicolations building, Clergeons' residence, Baptistery).
This summer 3 guided tours at no extra charge are offered:
-10:30 a.m.: Classic visit (cloister - Chapter room - Treasury) [duration 1 hour]
On Monday and Friday, this visit is extended by an exterior route linked to the restoration work planned on the cathedral complex: in addition to the Romanesque cloister, this route allows you to discover both the materials of medieval construction, in connection with the volcanic site, and the restoration work in progress [Duration 1h15, departure and return to the cloister]
- 14 p.m.: Classic visit (cloister- chapter room- Treasury). [Duration 30 hour].
-15:30 p.m.: Extended visit: this visit allows access to spaces not accessible on a self-guided tour: the Clergeons' dwelling (griffin room, fresco and fireplace from the 12th century), the north gallery of the cathedral (fresco of St-Michel , 11th century), the Saint-Jean baptistery. Departure and return to the cloister. [Duration approximately 1h15].
Last possible entry to the Cloister at 17:45 p.m.
The free visit with a document is of course possible, and makes it possible to discover the cloister, the chapter room, the room of the States of Velay (Treasure and collection of European liturgical embroideries), and finally an underground route (base of the tower St Mayol, cryptoporticus, lower room of the Machicoulis building).
Duration: 30 mms to 1 hour
A game booklet will be offered to the young public, who will thus be able to discover the heritage and its construction sites, in the cloister and all around the cathedral district.
Further information) :
Due to the limited number of visitors to the monument (COVID-19 measures), please contact us before you come for a visit in the best conditions.
Themes:
Visit
Language(s) of the visit
French
Audio guide language(s)
English Spanish
Individual visit services
- Unguided individual tours permanently
- Guided individual tours on request
Group visit services
- Guided group tours on request
Opening
| Opening hours from September 16, 2024 to May 14, 2025 | |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | Open |
| Wednesday | Open |
| Thursday | Open |
| Friday | Open |
| Saturday | Open |
| Sunday | Open |
Last entry possible 30 minutes before closing (i.e. 11:30 a.m. and 16:30 p.m.).
Exceptional Closure(s)
- 01/01/2024
- 01/05/2024
- 01/11/2024
- 11/11/2024
- 25/12/2024
Admission fees
| Admission fees | Min. | Max. |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | 7 € | - |
| Adult group | 5,50 € | - |
| Children group package | 40 € | - |
Free for Education Pass holders
Jobseeker
Disabled
Payment methods
Services
Equipments
Services
Activities on site
- Children's entertainment
- Temporary exhibitions
Home animals
Adapted tourism
Physical disability
Not wheelchair accessible