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Hautecombe Abbey in Savoy

A visit to the beautiful Hautecombe Abbey on the shores of Lake Bourget.

Hautecombe Abbey is worth visiting because it is somewhat isolated on the shores of Lake Bourget. You can either come by car or by boat from Aix-les-Bains (it is the easiest). Beware of the opening hours because the site is always in activity and the visit is forbidden during the masses. The visit can be very short if you don't attend the services, you can see everything in less than an hour, the site is not very big and many places are not open to the public. Apparently the visit is more interesting for the heritage days in September. It's up to you to see if the abbey is worth the trip but the visit could be better organized.

Interest: very good (4 users)
Difficulty:
Duration: 2 h.
Practical information

Indicative sign

Please note the opening times. The abbey is open every day except Monday and Tuesday. Tours of the abbey are available from 10am to 11.30am in the morning and from 2.30pm to 5.15pm in the afternoon.
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Reserved access

There are lots of signs saying "reserved access". It's not clear what the purpose of the visit is and what is open to the public. The abbey looks huge but you can only visit the church, which is pretty sad.
3

The abbey of Hautecombe

The abbey was built in 1137. Since 1992 there are no more monks. Today the abbey is managed by the Chemin Neuf Community which organizes the spiritual life of the place.
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The interior of the church

The interior of the building is really beautiful in a "gothic troubadour" style. The visit is paying (4,5 euros).
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The exterior of the abbey

Hautecombe Abbey is quite isolated and surrounded by forests. The site is conducive to meditation.
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The Boat Barn

Going down to the banks of the lake you can visit this barn which had two functions. The boats were stored at the bottom of the barn and the grain and fodder were stored at the top.
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The interior of the barge barn

The barn can be visited free of charge. Temporary exhibitions are on view in summer.
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A beautiful view on the lake

Un beau point de vue sur le lac Alongside the barn is a beautiful view of the lake. The photo shows the arrival of the shuttle bus from Aix-les-Bains. There's a landing stage right next to the abbey. This crossing is the best way to discover the majestic Hautecombe Abbey, located on the shores of the lake, and adds a unique dimension to a visit to this emblematic site steeped in history.
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The abbey seen from the lake

Paradoxically, it is on the other side of the lake or coming from the lake that the abbey is best seen.
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Other walks

At 7.19 Km

Lake Bourget in Aix-les-Bains

At 27.52 Km

Walk in the old Annecy

At 31.08 Km

The Forclaz pass near Annecy

At 40.59 Km

The lake of Paladru
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