The Priory of Ambialet

Former Benedictine monastery located at the top of the Ambialet peninsula at 295 m altitude.

The summit of the peninsula was occupied from very early on by a small monastery serving a church dedicated to the Virgin. In 1057, the Viscount of Albi donated the monastery and the church to Benedictine monks from the Abbey of Saint Victor in Marseille. These monks occupied the monastery without interruption for five centuries.

After the Viscounty of Ambialet became part of the Kingdom of France, the monastery gradually declined in importance. In 1458, it came under the authority of the chapter of Montpellier and its prior became a sort of dean priest of the three parishes of Ambialet, Lacondamine and Courris, whose religious services were provided by the monks of the priory.

The monastery was abandoned by the Benedictine monks at the time of the Wars of Religion and, until the Revolution, it and its outbuildings were no more than a distant benefit of the chapter of Montpellier, which made the parish priest of Ambialet collect the income.

At the time of the Revolution, the priory's property passed to the commune of Ambialet.

To this day, the Priory can only be visited during guided tours organised by the Tourist Office in July and August.

Animaux acceptés : Non

Langues parlées

• French