Basilique de la Visitation
On Gingerguide's self-guided Annecy audio tour, Basilique de la Visitation is a stop worth about ~30 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type religious
- Suggested visit ~30 min
- Annecy Annecy guide
About Basilique de la Visitation
A 20th-century basilica on the hillside above Annecy, holding the tombs of Saints Francis de Sales and Jane Frances de Chantal, with a 72-metre campanile and a 37-bell carillon.
The Basilique de la Visitation is a 20th-century basilica on the Visitation hillside above Annecy's old town, built between 1922 and 1930 to designs by the Grenoble architect Alfred-Henri Recoura, a Prix de Rome winner. It was consecrated in 1949 and raised to the rank of minor basilica on 17 August 1951. Its campanile stands 72 metres tall, topped by a bronze cross about seven metres high, and carries a carillon of 37 bells; the largest, named Marie Françoise, weighs nearly four tonnes.
Part of the wider Monastery of the Visitation, the basilica holds the tombs and relics of Saint Francis de Sales and Saint Jane Frances de Chantal, co-founders of the Order of the Visitation, whose remains rest in gilded-bronze sarcophagi at the head of the two side naves. The order was founded in Annecy in 1610 by the same two saints, which is why the founders are enshrined here. The hillside site gives a panorama over the town, the old town and Lake Annecy.
Did you know? The basilica's campanile rises 72 metres and is topped by a bronze cross about seven metres tall. Inside hangs a carillon of 37 bells, the biggest named Marie Françoise at nearly four tonnes.
How much time do you need at Basilique de la Visitation?
Around ~30 min works well for Basilique de la Visitation — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at Basilique de la Visitation?
Yes — Basilique de la Visitation made the cut as one of 12 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Annecy. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in Annecy
Sources and further reading
Where to check the facts about Basilique de la Visitation and read more:
Day 1 of the Annecy in 2 days itinerary →
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Hear the story of Basilique de la Visitation
Preview the Annecy tour free in the Gingerguide app.