A little history of Aulps abbey

In the beginning

Our story began in 1092, when 2 Benedictine monks from Molesmes abbey (Burgundy) moved here in this small valley called Alpes or Aulps.

The beginning was hard! Just imagine our monks, living as hermits in temporary huts, suffering from cold and starving... But in 1094, count Humbert of Savoy gave them lands. So the abbey became prosperous.

Protected by bishops of Geneva, princes and lords, it owned several lands in the valley. The second abbot saint Guérin even get the abbey’s independence from the pope, in 1120!

Guérin died here in 1150. Miracles happened on his tomb: a huge pilgrimage was launched...

Time for constructions

In 1150, the church and buildings were raised. Unfortunately, setbacks came! Aulps was rich, so other abbeys were jealous, especially their neighbour Abondance abbey.

Then, the Benedictine rule became laxer, and in 1702, a storm damaged the abbey. No time to rebuild it!

Monks were expelled during the Revolution... Finally, deathblow: a fire destroyed the village parish church in 1813...

In the interest of money, they decided to take stones from the abbey to rebuild it! They even chose to blast it with dynamite, just to speed up the task... and they abandoned it.

Et voilà! An explosion, and then nothing, the beautiful abbey was but a shade of its former self... In 1902, vestiges were listed as a Historical monument... and they rediscovered it in the 20th century!