Flavors & Heritage

Hautecombe Abbey: Savoie's most visited site, just a stone's throw from our hotel complex.

A must-see when you visit us!

A place steeped in history and spirituality. A magical place to recharge your batteries, nestled in an exceptional setting.

Hautecombe: the necropolis of the House of Savoy

In 1174, a Countess of Savoy was the first to be buried in the church. This custom was continued by most of their descendants in the ^13th century, less regularly thereafter and broken in the ^16th century.

In the early ^19th century, Savoy was returned to the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia. In 1824, the King of Sardinia, Charles-Félix, discovered the ruins of the abbey and decided to rebuild it in the flamboyant neo-Gothic style. Charles-Félix and his wife chose to be buried in the Belley chapel at the entrance to the abbey church. Hautecombe thus regained its role as the necropolis of the Savoy sovereigns.

The abbey was entrusted to the Cistercian monks of the Consolata de Turin in 1826, and then to the French Cistercians of Sénanque after Savoie became part of France in 1860. Benedictine monks from the Solesmes Congregation settled here in 1922.

Hautecombe today

The last King of Italy, Umberto II, a descendant of the Savoy family, continued the tradition of his ancestors by choosing Hautecombe as his final resting place. He was buried there in 1983, and his wife Marie-Josée in 2001.

In 1992, at the request of the Archbishop of Chambéry, the Chemin Neuf community took over, continuing the life of prayer and hospitality. This Catholic congregation, with an ecumenical vocation, works for the unity of Christians, peoples, families and individuals throughout the world.

In this magnificent setting, ideal for prayer, the Community welcomes young people from all over the world every year for training courses lasting from a few weeks to several months. These young people share community life and prayer, and receive biblical and spiritual formation.

Access to the abbey

Address:
Abbaye d'Hautecombe,
3700 route de l'Abbaye,
73310 Saint-Pierre-de-Curtille

Access:
45 min from Annecy and Chambéry 1h30 from Lyon 30 min from Aix-les-Bains