Visit the Benedictine Abbey of Gellone during your camping holiday
The Benedictine abbey of Gellone was founded in the year 804 by Guillaume d'Orange, Count of Toulouse. Count Guillaume (Guilhem in Occitan) is buried here today.
In the Abbey of Gellone there are precious relics, including a piece of the Holy Cross on which Christ was tortured.
Built in a very pure Romanesque style, the Abbey is a remarkable example of the Lombard Romanesque style. Eighteen metres high and only six metres wide, the nave gives the church a narrow and slender appearance while at the same time being surprisingly simple. The choir and the altar are eye-catching. To the right of the choir is the relic of the Holy Cross, which Charlemagne presented to William as a gift for the establishment of the abbey. A masterpiece of Roman art and a true object of veneration, it attracts thousands of pilgrims every year. Gellone Abbey is dominated by a majestic and pure architecture with sober and soft forms. Its elegance makes it one of the most beautiful monuments in the Languedoc. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is also classified as a historical monument.
Where to stay?
In order to organise your camping holiday in the Hérault and your visit to the Abbey of Gellone, we have selected a number of campsites in Saint Guilhem le Désert for you.
Practical information:
Open all year round and every day from 8 am to 6 pm. The cloister is closed on weekdays from 12 noon to 12.45 p.m. and on Sundays and public holidays from 11 a.m. to 12.15 p.m.
Free admission.
Contact details:
Gellone Abbey
2, Grand Chemin du Val de Gellone
34150 St-Guilhem-le-Désert
Tel. +33 (0)4 67 57 58 83
Website: saintguilhem-valleeherault.fr