The climb begins before dawn. From the Vallée Étroite on the French side or the Valle Stretta on the Italian, pilgrims set out in the dark, following mountain paths that gain nearly 1,400 metres toward a stone chapel perched at approximately 3,170 metres — reputed to be the highest chapel in France. The air thins. Below, the valleys of Névache and Bardonecchia recede into the first light. Above, the final slopes carry the stations of a Way of the Cross installed in 1860, when a typhoid epidemic struck the hamlet of Mélézet and the people climbed in procession to implore the Virgin of Thabor, promising to make this penitential ascent every year.
The chapel they reach — Notre-Dame des Sept Douleurs, Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows — stands on French territory in the commune of Névache, Hautes-Alpes, yet it belongs to the Italian commune of Bardonecchia and is pastorally attached to the parish of Mélézet in the diocese of Susa. Pilgrims come from both valleys, and the annual Mass is concelebrated in French and Italian at over 3,000 metres. The mountain is accessible only in the snow-free months, roughly July through September; the approaches are full-day or two-day hikes, not an afternoon stroll.
The building is now mid-transformation. The interior has been closed since the summer of 2021, when degrading permafrost made the structure unsafe. A reconstruction permit was granted in July 2026: the chapel is to be dismantled, its reusable materials recovered, and rebuilt on stable ground a short distance higher. The annual pilgrimage continues regardless — the vow did not promise a building, but an ascent.
📜 History & Spiritual Significance
The chapel is first attested in the 15th century. From 1487 the parish of Mélézet — now a hamlet of Bardonecchia, Italy — has been responsible for its upkeep. The oldest surviving document is a parish register of Mélézet for the year 1648, saved from a fire that destroyed the parish archives in 1668. The chapel stood in the territory of the Escartons until the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713.
Oral tradition, recorded by heritage sources, holds that a pilgrim returning from the Holy Land at the time of the Crusades named the mountain for its resemblance to Mount Tabor in Galilee — the site of the Transfiguration. This is tradition, not documented fact.
In 1860 a typhoid epidemic struck the inhabitants of Mélézet, causing many deaths. The people climbed in procession to implore the protection of the Virgin of Thabor and publicly promised to make this penitential ascent every year. The source wording, preserved identically by Sauvegarde de l'Art Français and the Hautes Vallées heritage site: "Les populations montèrent en procession implorer la protection de la Vierge du Thabor et lui promirent publiquement de faire chaque année cette pénitence." A Way of the Cross was installed the same year on the final slopes of the mountain. This annual penitential ascent continues today — pilgrims from Mélézet, Modane, Névache and the surrounding valleys gather, and Mass is celebrated at over 3,000 metres.
The building has been destroyed and rebuilt several times. Destroyed in 1694 and rebuilt in wood, it was rebuilt in stone and enlarged in 1816, restored in 1875, and enlarged again in 1895–1897 to hold up to 300 pilgrims — a remarkable capacity for a chapel at this altitude. A restoration followed in 1951. Through every rebuilding, the original chapel was preserved as the chœur, the sanctuary where Mass is celebrated.
The chapel's cross-border identity is distinctive. After the Treaty of Paris of 10 February 1947, the Franco-Italian frontier was moved eastward and the Vallée Étroite passed to France; the chapel found itself on French territory but remained the property of the Italian commune of Bardonecchia. The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed Bardonecchia's ownership from archival documents. On 17 December 2020, the municipalities of Névache and Bardonecchia formally agreed: French territory, Italian ownership. Savoie (Modane and Valfréjus) is one of the hiking approaches, not the administrative seat. The chapel's pastoral attachment is to the parish of Mélézet, diocese of Susa, Italy.
☩ Pilgrimage Sites in Mont Thabor
Chapel of Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows
Chapelle Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs du Mont-Thabor
At approximately 3,170 metres — about ten metres below the summit of Mont Thabor (3,178 m) and 160 metres east of it — this rectangular stone chapel is reputed to be the highest chapel in France. The interior is a single vaulted room; its oldest part, a five-by-five-metre chœur, survives from the 16th or 17th century and has been preserved through every rebuilding. Mass is celebrated outdoors at the foot of the chapel during the annual pilgrimage.
The interior has been closed to the public since the summer of 2021. The chapel stands on permafrost that is degrading with warming temperatures, causing structural movement that makes the building unsafe. After some ten years of studies and cross-border administrative work, a reconstruction permit was granted in July 2026, announced during the annual pilgrimage on 16 July 2026. The plan calls for the chapel to be dismantled, its reusable materials recovered, and rebuilt on stable ground a short distance away and several dozen metres higher. The pilgrimage continues while the reconstruction is prepared.
🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations
Pilgrimage of the Scapular — 16 July
The principal annual pilgrimage, fixed on 16 July and tied to the Scapular festival at Mélézet. Organised since 2018 by CAI Bardonecchia and ASSOMONT with parish approval, and guided by Don Daniele Venco of the diocese of Turin. Pilgrims depart before dawn from Pian della Fonderia in the Vallée Étroite; a bilingual Mass in French and Italian is concelebrated at the summit. When 16 July falls on a Sunday, Mass shifts to 17 July. The date has been confirmed in primary sources for each year from 2020 through 2026.
Pilgrimage of Saint Bartholomew — 24 August
A second annual pilgrimage on the traditional feast of Saint Bartholomew, organised by the parish of Modane. Departure from Pian della Fonderia at dawn, Mass at the summit. Sauvegarde de l'Art Français records that Mass was celebrated here from time immemorial for the feast of Saint Barthélemy. Whether this second pilgrimage runs every year has not been confirmed in recent sources.
Our Lady of Sorrows — 15 September
The chapel is dedicated to Notre-Dame des Sept Douleurs (Our Lady of Seven Sorrows), whose liturgical memorial is fixed on 15 September in the Roman calendar. The pilgrimage calendar at Mont Thabor is governed by the 1860 vow and the Saint Bartholomew tradition.
🛏️ Where to Stay
Refuge du Mont Thabor (pilgrim hostel) — Mountain refuge at 2,502 m on the GR5 and Tour du Thabor route, operated by the Club Alpin Français. Dormitory beds, meals served. The key overnight stop on the two-day approach from the Valfréjus side; the chapel at 3,170 m is reached the next morning. Booking strongly recommended. Reserve
Hôtel le Chalet d'en Hô ⭐⭐⭐ — Three-star mountain hotel in the Hameau des Chazals, Névache, at 1,600 m in the Clarée Valley. Spa with sauna and hot tub, restaurant with local cuisine. The natural base for the French-side ascent. Website
L'Echaillon ⭐⭐ — Two-star hotel at the entrance to Névache village. A self-described hiker's house with half-board and restaurant, run by the Gentil family. Website
La Découverte (guesthouse) — Auberge and gîte d'étape in Ville-Basse, Névache, on the GR5 and Via Alpina. Reservations by email or phone only. Website
More hotels in Mont Thabor on Booking.com →
Accommodation available to book near Mont Thabor. Pilgrim houses and religious guesthouses are listed above — many take bookings directly and do not appear on booking sites.
🚗 Getting There
On Foot — the Three Approaches:
From Névache (French side). Trailhead: Granges de la Vallée Étroite. GR5/GR57: 18 km round trip, +1,400 m, approximately eight hours, via the Col des Méandes (2,727 m). Steep scree above the col; residual snow may persist even in summer. The stations of the Way of the Cross mark the final ascent.
From Valfréjus / Modane via the GR5 (two-day hike). Trailhead: Parking du Lavoir, Valfréjus. GR5: 20 km round trip, +1,255 m — a full day, or overnight at the Refuge du Mont Thabor (2,502 m), reaching the chapel the next morning. No climbing difficulty.
From Bardonecchia (Italian side). Trailhead: Grange di Valle Stretta / Rifugio Terzo Alpini (1,790 m). The normal route gains 1,388 m with no climbing difficulty, following a dirt road to Pian della Fonderia (1,911 m), then climbing to the Col des Méandes (2,727 m) and the chapel. The annual pilgrimage departs from Pian della Fonderia before dawn, reaching the summit in under four hours. Italian-side refuges (Rifugio Terzo Alpini and Re Magi) are guarded in summer.
Snow Window: Ascent is recommended from July through September, with optimal conditions from mid-July to late August. Snow is often present in early July; check with the local tourist office before setting out.
By Train: SNCF serves Modane and Briançon. Trenitalia serves Bardonecchia from Turin (approximately one hour ten minutes).
By Air: Turin Airport (TRN) is the closest, approximately 75 km from Bardonecchia. Marseille-Provence and Grenoble are roughly three and a half hours' drive to Névache.
By Car: From the French side, the D994G runs from Briançon through Névache to the Granges de la Vallée Étroite. From the Italian side, the A32 motorway runs from Turin to Bardonecchia; continue through Mélézet and Pian del Colle to the unmarked border and Grange, five kilometres beyond. Parking is available at Grange.
By Bus: A summer bus connects Modane to Valfréjus. From Bardonecchia station, a free shuttle runs to Pian del Colle in July and August, with onward service to Grange.
📚 Further Reading
Books:
Fr. Johannes Maria Schwarz. Via Alpina Sacra: The Longest Pilgrimage across the Alps — The chapel is a named stage of this 4,300 km Alpine pilgrimage route; the only English narrative covering it in route context.
Fr. Romanus Cessario OP. The Seven Sorrows of Mary — Theological meditation on each of the seven sorrows, the devotion to which the chapel is dedicated.
Devotion to the Sorrowful Mother (TAN Books) — Popular devotional with prayers and the Seven Sorrows promise; a practical companion for pilgrims making the annual penitential ascent.
📿 Devotional Items
In 1860 the people of Mélézet climbed to the Virgin of Thabor and promised an annual penitential ascent. The chapel they built their vow around is dedicated to Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows.
Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows, Wooden Beads — Seven sets of seven beads for the seven sorrows, with medals depicting each and a prayer card.
Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows, with Pouch and Instructions — Colour images of each of the seven dolors, for a pilgrim learning the devotion.
Crystal Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows of Mary — Crystal beads with the medals of the Servite devotion.
🎥 Recommended Videos
Mont Thabor — La chapelle des 7 douleurs — Aerial and visual focus on the chapel building itself. In French.
Foundering Chapel on Mont Thabor — EWTN Catholic reflection on the chapel, its precarious state and its altar. In English.
Salviamo la Chapelle du Thabor — The Italian-side campaign to save the chapel, reflecting its binational identity. In Italian.
🔗 Useful Links
APATREN — Amis du Patrimoine Religieux de Névache — The custodian association's page for the chapel, with its history, the cross-border reconstruction project, and a link to the rebuilding fund.
Diocese of Susa — The Italian diocese to which the chapel is pastorally attached; parish listings and a Mass-times search.
Sauvegarde de l'Art Français — The French heritage foundation's project page, with the chapel's full history and restoration appeal.
🧭 Nearby Pilgrimage Destinations
La Salette (54 km southwest) — 1846 Marian apparition site in the French Alps, the closest pilgrimage guide on this site.
Sant'Ambrogio di Torino (61 km east) — Sacra di San Michele abbey, a medieval pilgrimage site honouring the Archangel Michael.
Saint-Étienne-le-Laus (74 km southwest) — The longest approved Marian apparitions in Church history (1664–1718), same department (Hautes-Alpes).
Turin (88 km east) — Holy Shroud in the cathedral; tombs of Saint John Bosco and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati.
Valperga (88 km east) — UNESCO Sacro Monte with 13 Passion chapels and an 11th-century Marian sanctuary.
🪶 Closing Reflection
"Christ's Transfiguration aims at strengthening the apostles' faith in anticipation of his Passion: the ascent on to the 'high mountain' prepares for the ascent to Calvary."
