From the esplanade of the Monastery where you can contemplate Saorge "village in the sky" hanging in ampitheatre from the restanques, enter a world of serenity: the baroque Franciscan convent, with the church and its terraced garden in a green valley.
Guided tour not to be missed! Included in the monument entrance fee, no reservation required:
Every day from early June to late September, at 11 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
From October 1 to November 3 and from February 1 to May 31 (closed Mondays): guided tour at 11am and 3pm.
The village of Saorge overlooks the Roya Gorge at the gateway to the Mercantour Park. Listed as a National Monument, the Monastery, a former Franciscan convent founded in 1633 in the Baroque style, has preserved its original structure, painted decor and food garden. The Church of Our Lady of Miracles features remarkable walnut woodwork, paintings and liturgical objects. The cloister is adorned with 17th-century frescoes illustrating episodes in the life of St. Francis of Assisi, as well as an exceptional set of nine period sundials. The refectory features 17th-century frescoes depicting monastic virtues. The garden, a haven of peace overlooking the mountains, features an organic vegetable garden and orchard, terraced with several interconnected irrigation basins.
Free guided tours lasting around 1 hour are included in the entrance fee.
The monastery welcomes writers, translators and scriptwriters in residence from April to October.
- For the visually impaired, the Monastery offers a range of mediation tools: a tactile model and well-designed tour guides in Braille and thermoformed sheets, produced by a specialized association in collaboration with the Valentin Haüy association.
- For the mentally impaired, adapted tours are available in-house, subject to prior booking.
- For the deaf and hard-of-hearing, the Monastery can call on the services of LSF interpreters, externally, by reservation and for groups only.
- To date, there are no specific accessibility facilities for the motor-impaired...
Office de Tourisme Menton, Riviera & Merveilles - 28/11/2025
www.menton-riviera-merveilles.fr/boutique/
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Full price: 7 € (All national monuments FREE on the first Sunday of each month from November to March.) Reduced price: 5.50 € (-for Z'est Bus season ticket holders -for holders of an SNCF - TGV Inoui ticket valid for less than 5 days) Group adults: 5.50 €. Free entry for children under 18, press, the drivers, Job-seeker, the supervisors, teachers, the students, disabled people and accompanying persons. Group rate available for 20 people or more. Free of charge for : - Under 18s (families and school groups excluded) - 18-25 years old (European Union citizens and non-European legal residents in France) - Disabled people and their companions - Jobseekers (on presentation of a certificate less than 6 months old) - Education pass (valid) - The first Sunday in January, February, March and November For all other free rates and measures, please contact us.
From 01/02 to 31/05 on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and weekends between 10 am and 1 pm and between 2 pm and 5 pm. Closed exceptionally on May 1st. From 10am to 1pm and from 2pm to 5pm Guided tour at 11am and 2.30pm Exceptional closure on 1 May.
Phone :
04 93 04 55 55
06 86 60 49 76
06 58 51 05 60
Email :
monastere-de-saorge@monuments-nationaux.fr
estelle.arnould@monuments-nationaux.fr
Website : http://www.monastere-saorge.fr/
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/MonastereSaorge/?locale=fr_FR
The Monastery is a 10-minute walk from the Saorge eastern quarter turnaround, near the retirement home.
Guided tours included in the entrance fee at 10.30 am, 2.30 pm, 4 pm. Duration approx. 1 hour.
Yes