Attraction · Vézelay · Updated on 1 November 2026.

Vézelay Abbey

Vézelay Abbey is an attraction in Vézelay, Yonne. This place has an audio tour of about 2 minutes, in English or Dutch. 2 of the 27 well-known points of interest nearby are within 1 km. Within 110 m you'll find a bench, a water point and a public toilet.

Directions in Google Maps

The story

Wikipedia ↗Official website ↗

Audio tour · Vézelay Abbey

2:17

You're standing in front of the Basilica of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine, at the top of the hill of Vézelay in Burgundy. Look at the west front. It only got its current look in the nineteenth century. Right at the top, Christ sits on a throne, with two angels holding a crown above his head, and Mary and Mary Magdalene at his side. There's just one tower, on the right: the Gothic Saint-Michel tower. The one on the left was never built.

Read and hear the whole story in the Outdoor Pitstop app: check in at this place and it is yours (with Pro; new users are Pro for the first 4 weeks).

Opening hours and admission

Wheelchair: Accessible

Source: OpenStreetMap and Wikidata.

Photos

10 photos from Wikimedia Commons. In the app you add your own photo when you are there.

1 / 10

Photo: DKrieger · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons

Basilique Sainte-Marie-Madeleine Vézelay: pilgrimage church on the hill

The Basilique Sainte-Marie-Madeleine in Vézelay is a church on top of a hill in Bourgondië. Pilgrims come here because the church still keeps relics of Maria Magdalena. Relics are the remains of a saint. The site was also important for the kruistochten: in 1146, Bernardus van Clairvaux called for the Tweede Kruistocht here. Vézelay is also one of the starting points of the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela. You will find the church in the village of Vézelay, in the department of Yonne. Monument aux morts, a memorial, stands 94 metres away, and the MDAM Musée Départemental d'Art Moderne, a museum of modern art, is 488 metres away. Vézelay Abbey is a fine place to combine a walk with a visit.

Vézelay Basilica's History

Around 1050, the monks of Vézelay began claiming that they held the relics of Maria Magdalena. Pilgrims came in large numbers, and their donations paid for the church, which was consecrated in 1104. Vézelay also became a meeting place for crusaders. In 1190, Richard Leeuwenhart and Filips met here before setting off on the Derde Kruistocht. In 1279, a body believed to be that of Maria Magdalena was found in Provence, and from then on Vézelay declined. After the Franse Revolutie, the church was in danger of collapse. Eugène Viollet-le-Duc restored it between 1840 and 1861. Since 1979, the church and the hill have been on the UNESCO werelderfgoedlijst.

Opening times, tickets and accessibility

The basilica is wheelchair accessible, so visitors who use a wheelchair can visit the church. We do not have information on the opening times, and we have no details about tickets or prices either. These details can change, for example because of a church service or another event. Before you set off, check the official website of the basilica at basiliquedevezelay.org, where you will find up-to-date information for your visit.

Toilets, drinking water and benches nearby

Benches are close to Vézelay Abbey: the nearest one is 46 metres away, at Place du Cloître. There are 34 benches within 500 metres, so it's easy to take a break. Drinking water is available from the tap on Rue des Semi-Prébendes, 78 metres from the abbey, and there are 4 water points within 500 metres. For a toilet, the nearest is on Chemin de Ronde, 114 metres away. This public toilet is free, always open and wheelchair accessible. There are 2 public toilets within 500 metres.

Walk and see more nearby

Once you have seen the basilica, you do not need to walk far for something else. The Monument aux morts, a war memorial, is close by. The MDAM museum is a little further away. You can easily visit both on foot, in a short walk through the village. If you would like to hear more about the church while you walk, you can do so with the Outdoor Pitstop app. There you will find an audio story about the Basilique Sainte-Marie-Madeleine that lasts 2 minutes. You can listen to it on the spot, while you look at the building.

Facilities near Vézelay Abbey

The nearest pitstop of each kind within 1 km, as the crow flies. No bike pump or honesty box within 1 km.

Explore further

More points of interest

Europe by country41 countries

Frequently asked questions

Where can I find drinking water at Vézelay Abbey?

The nearest water tap is 78 metres from the basilica, on Rue des Semi-Prébendes. There are 4 water taps within 500 metres in total.

Is there a toilet near Vézelay Abbey?

Yes, the nearest public toilet is 114 metres from the basilica, on Chemin de Ronde. It is free, always open and wheelchair accessible.

Are there benches near Vézelay Abbey?

Yes, the nearest bench is 46 metres from the basilica, on Place du Cloître. There are 34 benches within 500 metres.

Is Vézelay Abbey wheelchair accessible?

Yes, Vézelay Abbey is wheelchair accessible.

When was Vézelay Abbey built?

The church was consecrated in 1104. The money for it came from pilgrims who flocked to Vézelay after the monks claimed around 1050 to possess the relics of Maria Magdalena.

Is Vézelay Abbey on UNESCO's World Heritage List?

Yes, the church and hill of Vézelay have been on UNESCO's World Heritage List since 1979. Vézelay is also one of the starting points of the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela.