Mont Guillaume et le pèlerinage d'Embrun

Embrun

Mont Guillaume is the belvedere of Embrun: from its summit one sees the town, the lake of Serre-Ponçon less than five kilometres away and the whole Embrunais. One climbs it through an open larch forest, grazed in summer, up to the chapel of Les Séyères, then over ridges of alpine pasture up to the chapel of Saint-Guillaume and the great cross that crown the summit, both restored. The name of the mountain is that of a saint, Guillaume of Eygliers, a religious of the 12^th century according to local tradition. Legend relates that he had only one hand, that an angel warned him of a flood that was going to sweep away the priory of Calme, and that, so that he would be believed, the angel gave him back the hand he lacked. For centuries, the people of Embrun have climbed up on the second Sunday of July: the pilgrimage takes place at several levels of the mountain according to the hour, blessing at the summit, mass at Les Séyères. It is sustained by a lay confraternity, the priors of Mont-Guillaume, seventy members for life, without distinction of station, which receives two each year, chosen three years in advance, one from the urban sunny side, the other from the rural shady side; it maintains chapels, oratories and crosses. The Écrins National Park says it was born in the 13^th century. The chapel of Les Séyères was rebuilt in 1859 by Bishop Depéry. A study by G. Rose, in 1992, wrote the history of this pilgrimage; the dates of the summit chapel and of the cross remain to be established.

Wikipédia — Mont Guillaume ↗

Getting there : From Embrun, forest road up to the Forêt car park (1,587 m), near the hamlet of Caléyère. Ascent by the Widman path through the forest and then the alpine pastures, about 1,000 m of ascent, 5 to 6 hours there and back, from June to October depending on snow cover; many track junctions, a map is useful. Chapels and cross freely accessible; the pilgrimage takes place on the second Sunday of July, blessing at the summit then mass at Les Séyères.

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound