LE SAINT MONT

Mont Habend or Saint-Mont is a sacred place in the Vosges mountains. Located at the southern end of the Fossard massif, in the commune of Saint-Amé at an altitude of 672m, this advanced spur offers an exceptional view of the Moselle and Moselotte valleys, hence its occupation since ancient times. Amé (a preacher monk) and Romaric (a nobleman of the Austrasian Court) created a double monastery for men and women in 620, following the austere rule of Saint-Colomban. From 819, the female monastery was moved to the valley but the site remained a place of pilgrimage for several centuries. Recent archaeological excavations have revealed a funerary necropolis dating from the first millennium. On the ground, traces of various buildings (chapels, conventual buildings, main church) date back to the High Middle Ages. Today, the site is a religious, historical and archaeological site registered as a Historic Monument. It still holds many secrets, with the largest group of Formae (nuns' burial tombs) ever found to date. Please note: The Saint Mont is only accessible on foot, either through the chapel of Vieux Saint Amé or through Saint-Étienne-Lès-Rremiremont.