The place

This is an iconic place: it is in Viviers that Charles de Foucauld was ordained priest.

the Diocesan House

We will be lodging in the same house where the archives of Charles de Foucauld are kept, together with his designs in the chapel and a small memorial museum. We will also spend a day at the Abbey of Notre-Dame des Neiges where Charles (Brother Marie-Albéric) spent six months as a Trappist monk.

You can also consult the diocesan house website https://maisondiocesaine07.fr/

Address

Maison Diocésaine Charles de Foucauld – Grand séminaire de Viviers
2, faubourg Saint-Jacques 07220 VIVIERS

The town

The former capital of the Vivarais region, the town has been the bishopric of the Ardèche since the 5th century and is also a “remarkable heritage site“. This doubly fortified medieval town is full of architectural treasures. Here, the stones tell the story, bearing witness to a prestigious past spanning almost 2000 years

The lower town of Viviers

On foot, wandering through the picturesque, shady lanes, take the time to discover the vaulted passageways, the basic houses with Romanesque and Gothic doors and windows, the Renaissance facades and the 18th-century town houses.
One of the highlights of the tour is the imposing façade of the Maison des Chevaliers, once owned by Noël Albert, a merchant who made his fortune trading salt on the Rhône, but who was also a lover of the arts. This “antique” façade was rebuilt in the 16th century.
Not to be missed: the former bishop’s palace. This prestigious monument boasts an Italian salon, the bishop’s reception room, covered in mural paintings. Built in the 18th century as a private mansion, it became the town hall in 1986.

The upper town: Viviers’ religious quarter

At the foot of the rock, surrounded by a second, virtually intact system of ramparts, lies the canons’ quarter. This religious quarter overlooks the Rhône on one side and the secular city on the other.
You enter through the porte de la gâche, the only gateway between the lower, commercial town and the upper, episcopal city, until 1660.
Old canon houses surround the Cathédrale Saint-Vincent, France’s smallest working cathedral. Viviers cathedral is a blend of Romanesque (nave bases), Flamboyant Gothic (choir) and 18th-century styles. Inside, you can admire five tapestries from the Manufacture royale des Gobelins.The highest point in the upper town, the Chateauvieux belvedere is a must-see when visiting Viviers. It offers a superb 360° view over the roofs of Viviers and the Rhône. In the distance, you can see the statue of the Archangel Saint-Michel to the south of the town. It was erected after Viviers escaped the bombardments of 1944..

A few walks

• The port of Viviers
  Below the fortified town, you can also stroll along the port of Viviers. Situated on the right bank of the Rhône, it welcomes cruise ships and, since its renovation in 2018, pleasure boats
• The Joannade Statue
  To admire Viviers as a whole, we recommend climbing up to the statue of La Joannade. A short path starts near the RD86 and the town hall (south roundabout) and takes 30 minutes of leisurely walking. After a few hairpin bends, you’ll discover a breathtaking view of Viviers, the Rhône and the pre-Alps.
• Viviers-St Thomé: approximately 1? hours round trip