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Origin and history

The Abbey of Mègemont is a former Cistercian abbey founded in the 13th century (1274) by the Counts of Auvergne, on the territory of Chassagne, in the present department of Puy-de-Dôme. The church, built in the 13th century, and the convent buildings, erected in the 18th century, testify to its architectural evolution. Sold as a national good during the French Revolution, it has partially disappeared: today only the choir remains, the church transept (the nave having been destroyed at the beginning of the 20th century), as well as vaulted rooms and stucco decorations in the convent buildings.

The site, classified as Historical Monument by decree of 27 June 1996, protects the remains of the abbey church (soil and remaining structures) and the former convent building. The preserved elements reflect both medieval Cistercian austerity and 18th century Baroque additions. The location of the abbey, at about 1,000 meters above sea level on the foothills of the plateau du Cézallier, suggests a strategic settlement, typical of monastic foundations in rural and mountainous areas.

Chassagne, a rural municipality with 76 inhabitants (2023), is marked by a mountain climate and a historically agricultural economy (prairies, forests). The abbey, now private and communal property, illustrates the religious heritage of the region, linked to the influence of local lords and the Cistercian order. Its present state, between ruins and restored remains, makes it a fragile witness of eight centuries of monastic history in Auvergne.

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