Rocher Saint-Michel d'Aiguilhe — Attraction in Le Puy-en-Velay

The Chapel of St Michael d'Aiguilhe (Chapelle Saint Michel d'Aiguilhe) is a fascinating little pilgrimage chapel perched atop a needle (aiguilhe) of rock in Le Puy-en-Velay, Auvergne. Jutting dramatically towards heaven, the rock needle has been a sacred place for thousands of years: a prehistoric dolmen was built there and the Romans dedicated it to Mercury before the Christians built a chapel to St. Michael.

Near the base of the rock is the 12th-century Chapel of St. Clair, which has an octagonal plan and exterior mosaic decoration. One of the two doorways has an ancient carved lintel showing the phases of the moon.

The basalt needle on which the chapel is built rises 269 feet (82m) high, with a top diameter of 187 feet (57m) and a base circumference of 560 feet (170m). Further height is added by the attractive 12th-century bell tower of St. Michael's Chapel. The tower is similar in style to that of Le Puy Cathedral, with arches made from stones of alternating colors.

The chapel is reached by 268 stone steps that wind their way up the side of the rock. The stairs are wide and in good condition, and a stone outer wall provides a sense of security (even to this author, who is not fond of heights). There are places to rest on the way up and the views are magnificent.

At the top, a wide path around the church provides a good look at the church exterior and the places where its masonry joins with the natural rock, as well as sweeping views of Le Puy, the cathedral, and the surrounding countryside.

The fascinating facade of the chapel also dates from the 12th century. Like the cathedral, its multicolor stonework and arches give it an exotic appearance revealing Islamic influences. It is decorated with mosaics of red, white and black stone in geometric patterns, accented with reliefs carved of lighter stone.

The stonework of the facade illustrates themes from Genesis and Revelation. The reliefs within the unusual trefoil arch depict the Lamb of God (labeled with AGNUS DEI) in the center, with four Elders of the Apocalypse holding vials of perfume on each side. Above the arch are vines populated with birds and two human figures, which probably represents Creation and the Fall. Note the tiny Green Man masks beneath the feet of each...

Unique church on top of a rock, in the middle of Puy-en-Velay. The church on top is dedicated to archangel Michael, and there is a little chapel dedicated to the archangel Gabriel. The church dates back to the 10th century, and has some very beautiful frescoes on the inside. The museum at the bottom of the climb explains a lot about which figure depicts who, and explains the history of the church. Entry costs €6 per person, but we thought this is definitely worth it. I don't think the climb is accessible when you have a disability. Otherwise, the...

The chapel of Saint-Michel d'Aiguilhe, perched atop an 85 metres high needle (aiguilhe) of rock, is nothing short of amazing. This had been a sacred place for thousands of years. Originally, a prehistoric dolmen was built there, the Romans later dedicated it to Mercury and then in 969 Christians built the chapel to St. Michael.

It's hard going climbing the 268 stone steps that wind their way up the side of the rock to get to the Chapel but it really is worth it. The views are amazing. It's...