Paris Day Trip
Abbey of Vezelay


Day-Trip to Vezelay from Paris - 222 km South of Paris
vezelay burgundy cathedral
In the 11th and the 12 centuries one of the most important places of pilgrimage in the Christian World, Vezelay today is a somewhat isolated, picturesque "plus beau village de france" set on a peak. Its one main street, rue Saint-Etienne, climbs steeply to the summit and its medieval basilica, world famous for its Romanesque sculpture. In summer you have to leave your car at the bottom and walk-up. Off-season you can drive up and look for a spot to park in the square.  The celebrated Basilique Ste-Madeleine was one of the focal points of Christendom. Pilgrims poured in to see the relics of St.Mary Magdalene in the crypt before setting off on the great trek to the shrine of St James at santiago de Compostela, in Northwest spain. Several pivotal church declarations of the Middle Ages were made from here. By the mid 13th century the authenticity of St Mary's relics was in doubt, others had been discovered in Provence. The Basilica's decline continued until the french revolution, when the basilica and adjoining monastery buildings were sold by the state. Only the basilica, cloister and dormitory escaped demolition, and were falling into ruin when ace restorer Viollet-le-Duc, sent by his mentor Prosper Mérimée, rode to the rescue in 1840. Today the basilica, under the patrimony of UNESCO since 1979, has recaptured some of his glory and is considered to be one of France's most prestigious Romanesque showcases.




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