“The beauty of Romanesque art is a shock. It triggers an echo which will be all the fuller if man is prepared to receive it and respond to it.” Marie-Madeleine Davy
whoever they are lstudents or éstudents, thehe worlds of young people, often saturated with images and sounds, leave little room for silence, interiority, coherence. These are precisely the experiences they will be able to have in the Basilica of Vézelay, a jewel of Romanesque architecture. placed under the patronage of Marie-Madeleine, reconstructed at the beginning of the XIIrd century for requirements pilgrims by the work ofoutstanding “workers” as well as monks Benedictines present since the IXrd century on the hill.
The discovery tour takes place in two stages: 2h
The Visitor Center : 1 p.m.
A time to see
Sitting in the darkness of our projection room, young people discover the Basilica thanks to a film which draws their attention to the beauty of the spaces and perspectives, the details of the sculpture, the encounter between stone and light.« In the shadow of the Light »
A time to understand
- In the room of symbols, a model restoring the annual course of the sun on the Basilica makes it possible to understand why and how the builders created exceptional plays of light inside the abbey.
- The commented reading of the plan provides historical, technical and symbolic landmarks that prepare you to walk in this stone vessel.
- .The measuring instruments presented (freelance, 13-knot rope) testify to an ancestral art of building.
- Titles reproduced within sight of you invite to read the carved images in their original context and listen to their timeless messages.
La Basilica : 55 min
Le(S) (S) of the House of the Visitor accompany young people and their teachers in the Basilica to observe and appreciate the spaces, the play of light, the images sculpted in stone, in real size, encouraging their personal involvement and inviting them to express what they feel . Duration: approximately 45 minutes
The discovery tour can start with the Basilica and end at the Visitor's House.
The discovery of the Basilica in situ can be done without the guides of the Visitor's House if the teachers wish to take over: the Visitor's House takes care of booking the group's passage through the Basilica.
You can complete the discovery visit by:
- Historical Walks - Duration 1h45. From the village of Asquins, where the guide mentions the roads to Compostela, you can see the Basilica and the village of Vézelay at the top of the hill. Then begins the walk together in the footsteps of the pilgrims (2,5 km) by evoking the great figures of the history of Vézelay (Bernard of Clairvaux, François of Assisi…) and by sharing the bread (option to be requested). Recommended before the discovery visit. Historical Walks
- The Atelier du Regard and drawing in the Basilica - Duration 2h15. After presenting to the young people the aim and the progress of this workshop, the guide accompanies them in the Basilica: it is a question of looking first, of being inspired by the beautiful work before drawing; this first stage allows the pupils to choose such a perspective or such a detail… and to venture, pencils in hand, to express what they see. The workshop ends with a joint conclusion. Recommended after the discovery tour. The Atelier du Regard and drawing in the Basilica
- Sculpture Reading Workshop - Duration 2h15. The Basilica contains around 150 sculpted capitals that tell different stories! For the students : divided into 2, they are given the task of reading and interpreting a marquee with the help of a sheet provided by the guide; each duo then presents its marquee to the others; speaking in front of others is a formative exercise. For the high school students : the teachers will choose this course or the one offered to middle school students in which the fact of drawing helps the pupils to look. Recommended after the discovery tour. Sculpture Reading Workshop.
Contact us to organize your visit over one or two days
Prices – possibility of benefiting from Culture Pass
The visit to the Visitor's House: 7 € / pers.
The journey through the Basilica: € 5 / pers.
The historic walk: 7 € / pers.
The Regard workshop: € 8 / pers.
The marquee reading workshop: € 8 / pers.
The floor workshop: 6 € / pers.
Booking
Dates and times on request. Minimum package of 90 €
Contact: + 33 (0) 3 86 32 35 65 - maisonduvisiteur@orange.fr