# La Chaise-Dieu

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For the village in the Eure department, see [Chaise-Dieu-du-Theil](/source/Chaise-Dieu-du-Theil).

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Commune in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

La Chaise-Dieu Commune Abbey of La Chaise-Dieu Coat of arms Location of La Chaise-Dieu La Chaise-Dieu Show map of France La Chaise-Dieu Show map of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Coordinates: 45°19′20″N 3°41′51″E / 45.3222°N 3.6975°E / 45.3222; 3.6975 Country France Region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Department Haute-Loire Arrondissement Brioude Canton Plateau du Haut-Velay granitique Intercommunality CA du Puy-en-Velay Government • Mayor (2020–2026) André Brivadis[1] Area 1 13.58 km2 (5.24 sq mi) Population (2023)[2] 594 • Density 43.7/km2 (113/sq mi) Time zone UTC+01:00 (CET) • Summer (DST) UTC+02:00 (CEST) INSEE/Postal code 43048 /43160 Elevation 916–1,120 m (3,005–3,675 ft) (avg. 1,083 m or 3,553 ft) 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

**La Chaise-Dieu** (French pronunciation: [\[la ʃɛz djø\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/French); [Auvergnat](/source/Auvergnat_dialect): *La Chasa Dieu*) is a [commune](/source/Communes_of_France) in the [Haute-Loire](/source/Haute-Loire) [department](/source/Departments_of_France) in south-central [France](/source/France). Its inhabitants are called *Casadéens*, from the [Latin](/source/Latin) name of the city.

## Geography

La Chaise-Dieu occupies a 1082 m [butte](/source/Butte) which dominates a plain between the mounts of [Livradois](/source/Livradois) and [Velay](/source/Velay). The closest cities are [Brioude](/source/Brioude), [Ambert](/source/Ambert), and [Le Puy-en-Velay](/source/Le_Puy-en-Velay).

The [Senouire](/source/Senouire) forms most of the commune's eastern and western borders.

## History

The abbey church

La Chaise-Dieu means "the Seat of God" in French (from the [Occitan](/source/Occitan_language) "Chasa Dieu") and is a reference to [the Benedictine abbey](/source/Abbey_of_La_Chaise-Dieu)[3] which was founded on the site in 1043 by [Robert de Turlande](/source/Robert_de_Turlande), a kinsman of [Gerald of Aurillac](/source/Gerald_of_Aurillac) and canon of [Saint Julian's](/source/St._Julian_of_Brioude) church at Brioude, nearby. Robert served an apprenticeship at [Cluny](/source/Cluny_Abbey) under [Abbot Odilo](/source/Odilo_of_Cluny), then served as abbot in the community he founded in the wilderness here, initially in the company of a repentant knight, Stephen. The traditional date of the founding is 28 December 1043. The abbey had over 300 monks and 42 outlying [priories](/source/Priory) depending on it when Robert de Turlande died, probably in 1067. After his death, Robert was quickly canonized (1095) as **Saint Robert de Turlande** (also known as Saint Robert of Chaise-Dieu).[4] The Chaise-Dieu continued to grow throughout the [Middle Ages](/source/Middle_Ages), becoming the motherhouse of further congregations of Black Monks. [Pope Clement VI](/source/Pope_Clement_VI) began his vocation as a monk at Chaise Dieu and was the patron of the vast abbey church (built 1344–1350), a suitable setting for his tomb.

The monks were driven out and the abbey secularized during the [French Revolution](/source/French_Revolution). Clement's vast abbey church, his tomb and the abbey cloister remain. The fresco of the [Dance of Death](/source/Danse_Macabre) (ca 1470) is a famous example of this motif, which gained wide currency following the visitations of the [Black Death](/source/Black_Death). The partners of the figures are skeletons and the parade strictly follows precedence of contemporary society, with Adam and Eve preceding all: the pope then the emperor, the legate, the prince, the cardinal, the High Constable, the patriarch, the knight, then the abbot, the townsman, the merchant, the lady, ending with the lawyer, the minstrel, the clerk, the ploughman, the monk, the innocent child and the pilgrim.

Between 1727 and 1740, the [Jansenist](/source/Jansenism) [bishop](/source/Bishop) [Jean Soanen](/source/Jean_Soanen) was exiled to the abbey.

## Population

‹ The [template](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Template) *[Historical populations](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Historical_populations)* is being [considered for merging](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Templates_for_discussion/Log/2026_June_24#Template:Infobox_demographics). ›

Historical population Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1968 900 — 1975 907 +0.11% 1982 789 −1.97% 1990 778 −0.18% 1999 772 −0.09% 2009 730 −0.56% 2014 630 −2.90% 2020 608 −0.59% Source: INSEE[5]

## Culture

French pianist [Georges Cziffra](/source/Georges_Cziffra) started an annual [festival of sacred music in La Chaise-Dieu](/source/Festival_de_musique_de_La_Chaise-Dieu) in 1966.

## See also

- [Communes of the Haute-Loire department](/source/Communes_of_the_Haute-Loire_department)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Répertoire national des élus: les maires"](https://www.data.gouv.fr/fr/datasets/r/2876a346-d50c-4911-934e-19ee07b0e503). *data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises* (in French). 2 December 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Populations de référence 2023"](https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/8643952?geo=COM-43048) (in French). National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 18 December 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [La Chaise-Dieu Abbey website](https://www.abbaye-chaise-dieu.com/)(in French)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Saint of the Day"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110408225145/http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0417.shtml). Archived from [the original](http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0417.shtml) on 8 April 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-pophist_5-0)** [Population en historique depuis 1968](https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/7633058?geo=COM-43048#ancre-POP_T1), INSEE

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [La Chaise-Dieu](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/La_Chaise-Dieu).

- [Visit La Chaise Dieu - Official website for tourism](https://www.vacances-livradois-forez.com/destination/une-destination-quatre-territoires/la-chaise-dieu-chef-d-oeuvre-d-architecture-gothique-et-volcans/)

- (in Polish) [Photos of La Chaise-Dieu](https://sekulada.com/opactwo-w-la-chaise-dieu/)

v t e Communes of the Haute-Loire department Agnat Aiguilhe Allègre Alleyrac Alleyras Ally Araules Arlempdes Arlet Arsac-en-Velay Aubazat Aurec-sur-Loire Autrac Auvers Auzon Azérat Bains Barges Bas-en-Basset Beaulieu Beaumont Beaune-sur-Arzon Beaux Beauzac Bellevue-la-Montagne Berbezit Bessamorel La Besseyre-Saint-Mary Blanzac Blassac Blavozy Blesle Boisset Bonneval Borne Le Bouchet-Saint-Nicolas Bournoncle-Saint-Pierre Le Brignon Brioudesubpr Brives-Charensac Cayres Céaux-d'Allègre Cerzat Ceyssac Chadrac Chadron La Chaise-Dieu Chamalières-sur-Loire Chambezon Le Chambon-sur-Lignon Champagnac-le-Vieux Champclause Chanaleilles Chaniat Chanteuges La Chapelle-Bertin La Chapelle-d'Aurec La Chapelle-Geneste Charraix Chaspinhac Chaspuzac Chassagnes Chassignolles Chastel Chaudeyrolles Chavaniac-Lafayette Chazelles Chenereilles Chilhac Chomelix La Chomette Cistrières Cohade Collat Connangles Costaros Coubon Couteuges Craponne-sur-Arzon Cronce Cubelles Cussac-sur-Loire Desges Domeyrat Dunières Espalem Espaly-Saint-Marcel Esplantas-Vazeilles Les Estables Fay-sur-Lignon Félines Ferrussac Fix-Saint-Geneys Fontannes Freycenet-la-Cuche Freycenet-la-Tour Frugerès-les-Mines Frugières-le-Pin Goudet Grazac Grenier-Montgon Grèzes Javaugues Jax Josat Jullianges Lafarre Lamothe Landos Langeac Lantriac Lapte Laussonne Laval-sur-Doulon Lavaudieu Lavoûte-Chilhac Lavoûte-sur-Loire Lempdes-sur-Allagnon Léotoing Lissac Lorlanges Loudes Lubilhac Malrevers Malvalette Malvières Le Mas-de-Tence Mazerat-Aurouze Mazet-Saint-Voy Mazeyrat-d'Allier Mercœur Mézères Le Monastier-sur-Gazeille Monistrol-d'Allier Monistrol-sur-Loire Monlet Montclard Le Monteil Montfaucon-en-Velay Montregard Montusclat Moudeyres Ouides Paulhac Paulhaguet Pébrac Le Pertuis Pinols Polignac Pont-Salomon Pradelles Prades Présailles Le Puy-en-Velaypref Queyrières Raucoules Rauret Retournac Riotord Roche-en-Régnier Rosières Saint-André-de-Chalencon Saint-Arcons-d'Allier Saint-Arcons-de-Barges Saint-Austremoine Saint-Beauzire Saint-Bérain Saint-Bonnet-le-Froid Saint-Christophe-d'Allier Saint-Christophe-sur-Dolaizon Saint-Cirgues Saint-Didier-en-Velay Saint-Didier-sur-Doulon Sainte-Eugénie-de-Villeneuve Sainte-Florine Sainte-Marguerite Sainte-Sigolène Saint-Étienne-du-Vigan Saint-Étienne-Lardeyrol Saint-Étienne-sur-Blesle Saint-Ferréol-d'Auroure Saint-Front Saint-Geneys-près-Saint-Paulien Saint-Georges-d'Aurac Saint-Georges-Lagricol Saint-Germain-Laprade Saint-Géron Saint-Haon Saint-Hilaire Saint-Hostien Saint-Ilpize Saint-Jean-d'Aubrigoux Saint-Jean-de-Nay Saint-Jean-Lachalm Saint-Jeures Saint-Julien-Chapteuil Saint-Julien-d'Ance Saint-Julien-des-Chazes Saint-Julien-du-Pinet Saint-Julien-Molhesabate Saint-Just-Malmont Saint-Just-près-Brioude Saint-Laurent-Chabreuges Saint-Martin-de-Fugères Saint-Maurice-de-Lignon Saint-Pal-de-Chalencon Saint-Pal-de-Mons Saint-Pal-de-Senouire Saint-Paul-de-Tartas Saint-Paulien Saint-Pierre-du-Champ Saint-Pierre-Eynac Saint-Préjet-Armandon Saint-Préjet-d'Allier Saint-Privat-d'Allier Saint-Privat-du-Dragon Saint-Romain-Lachalm Saint-Vénérand Saint-Vert Saint-Victor-Malescours Saint-Victor-sur-Arlanc Saint-Vidal Saint-Vincent Salettes Salzuit Sanssac-l'Église Saugues La Séauve-sur-Semène Sembadel Séneujols Siaugues-Sainte-Marie Solignac-sous-Roche Solignac-sur-Loire Tailhac Tence Thoras Tiranges Torsiac Valprivas Vals-le-Chastel Vals-près-le-Puy Varennes-Saint-Honorat Les Vastres Vazeilles-Limandre Venteuges Vergezac Vergongheon Vernassal Le Vernet Vézézoux Vieille-Brioude Vielprat Villeneuve-d'Allier Les Villettes Vissac-Auteyrac Vorey Yssingeauxsubpr pref: prefecture subpr: subprefecture

Authority control databases International VIAF GND WorldCat National United States France BnF data Israel Other IdRef Historical Dictionary of Switzerland Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [La Chaise-Dieu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Chaise-Dieu) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Chaise-Dieu?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.