Things to see and do Saint-Jean-D'Aulps

In the heart of the Haut-Chablais, on a 2 hectare estate, the remains of one of the most important Cistercian abbeys in medieval Savoy. Aulps Abbey has been a place of pilgrimage since the 11th century. Founded in 1095 by monks who had left the abbey of Molesme in Burgundy, the abbey of Notre-Dame-d'Aulps became independent in 1120 and Guérin de Pont-à-Mousson, the second abbot of Aulps and bishop of Sion, died there in 1150. He was soon venerated as the patron saint of livestock. The last Cistercian monks were expelled in 1792 by the revolutionaries. After the fire of 1823, the inhabitants of the village recovered its stones to rebuild their houses. Only the remains of the abbey church, the gatehouse, the cellars and the old monastic farm remain. However, these ruins have a lot of allure and the site is remarkable in more ways than one! The church has preserved its magnificent 13th century façade and the glorious abbey was classified as a historical monument in 1902. Today, it houses an interpretation center, a store, an herbal tea room, a medieval garden and vegetable garden. There is an exhibition on the daily life of the monks, their community, the history of the Duchy of Savoy in the Middle Ages and the secrets of medicinal plants. You can discover the abbey as it was before its destruction with the 3D augmented reality application Abbayedaulps and the helmets available for rent at the reception. A unique experience!