The Aulps Abbey was founded at the end of the 11th century in the heart of the Chablais pre-Alps, at an altitude of 800m. The monks who lived there were encouraged to join the Cistercian Order in 1136. Before long, the abbey became one of the most powerful monasteries in medieval Savoy. The church was largely destroyed in 1823 and until 1998 the grounds were used for farming.
The Aulps Abbey's 3-hectare estate houses the church facade and ruins, the cellars, gardens, porch and above all the renovated monastic farm, which opened in 2007 and houses the Visitors' Discovery Centre. This centre - unique in France - gives a vivid idea of the daily routine of monks living in a mountain abbey in the Middle Ages.
The abbey's gardens are also a focus for visitors, with a flourishing botanical garden (herbularius) and a vegetable patch (hortus).
Explore the abbey grounds with your virtual guide in english.
Guided visit in July and August, in french, for families
- Interpretation Centre
Abbey discovery centre
A renovated former monastic farm housing an interpretation centre with 650m² of exhibition space: displays on the monks’ daily life; links between the Abbaye d’Aulps and the Savoie; the unexpected story of its final destruction; and medicinal plants
About
Free access with the Multi Pass card
Prices
Adult: 7 €
Child : 3.50 €
Group adults: 5.60 €
Group children : 2.80 €.
Free entry for children < 6 years.
Child entry valid for 6 - 16 years.
Group rate available for > 20 people.
Free and unlimited access with the Multi Pass card.
Reception
Opening
From 01/01 to 31/03 between 2 pm and 6 pm.
Closed Saturday and Sunday.
Closed exceptionally on January 1st.
From 01/04 to 14/06 between 2 pm and 6.30 pm.
Closed on Saturday.
Closed exceptionally on May 1st.
From 15/06 to 15/09, daily between 10 am and 7 pm.
From 16/09 to 30/09 between 2 pm and 6.30 pm.
Closed on Saturday.
From 01/10 to 31/10 between 2 pm and 6 pm.
Closed Saturday and Sunday.
From 15/12 to 31/12 between 2 pm and 6.30 pm.
Closed on Saturday.
Closed exceptionally on bank holidays.
- Educational visits
- Coach access
- Motorhomes allowed
- Room hire
- Themed tour
- Shop
- Set down on-site for groups
- Tourist brochures
- Booking of general amenities
- Restaurant
- Car park
- Bar
- Defibrillator
- Exhibition space
- Lift
- Restaurant
- Meeting room
- Toilets
- Activity
- Children's entertainment
- Concert
- Product tasting
- Temporary exhibition
- Entertainment evenings
- Shows
- Theatre
- Handicrafts workshops
- Permanent exhibition
Contacts
Access
Access via the D902 from Thonon-les-bains (20 km)
Access via the D902 from Cluses (33 km)
Coach service from Thonon or Cluses (Sté SAT 04 50 71 85 55)
Balad'Aulps Bus" shuttle stop at the Abbey during the winter and summer seasons
- Hearing disability
- Mental disability
- Visual disability
- Accessible for wheelchairs with assistance
- WC + grab handle + adequate space to move
A sensory discovery tour of Aulps Abbey, "Sens de la visite", for mentally handicapped visitors (groups of 10 to 20 participants). The Vallée d'Aulps Discovery Centre is offering a 45-minute sensory tour of the abbey grounds. It focuses on three senses: smell, touch and hearing. While the explanations of the various places visited are simplified, visitors are invited to adopt certain attitudes and postures of the monastic community. Smell: in the garden of simple plants, visitors can discover different fragrances. Touch: in the abbey church, visitors can touch and weigh the different materials used to build the abbey. Hearing: in the abbey farm, visitors can listen to an extract of Gregorian chants.
