Abbaye de Saint-Rambert-en-Bugey

The Abbaye de Saint-Rambert-en-Bugey is a monastery featuring a Romanesque crypt and architectural elements from the 9th and 10th centuries within its surviving structures. The building combines different construction phases and preserves the layout of a centuries-old religious settlement.

Founded in the 5th century by Saint Domitian, the monastery reached its peak in the 12th century when it held jurisdiction over territories extending into Savoy. This expansion demonstrates the growing power and influence of the place throughout the Middle Ages.

The abbey has hosted the Notre-Dame des Missions congregation since 1949, which continues religious education and spiritual gatherings within its walls. Visitors can sense this living tradition through the quiet spaces and the pace of monastic life that still shapes the place today.

The monastery is located in Saint-Rambert-en-Bugey and offers various spaces to explore along with simple overnight accommodations for visitors. Exploring the site works best if you allow time to see the Romanesque crypt and the older areas at a leisurely pace.

A landslide in 1838 unexpectedly revealed the crypt of Saint Domitian, now preserved as the main surviving element of the original abbey complex. This accidental discovery has enabled the oldest layers of the site to be preserved and made accessible to visitors.