Le Chemin du Calvaire

Guided tour possible, inquire at Megève Tourism.
Recommended route for walks with strollers, passing through the Saint Michel path.

Between the heart of the capital and the plateau of Mont d'Arbois, rises one of the only Sacred Mountains, these mountains of the Passion punctuated by chapels and scenes of the ascent to Calvary, which our country has. Laid out between 1840 and 1878, the Calvary of Megève is above all the work of one man, Father Ambroise Martin (1791-1863), parish priest of Megève from 1820 to his death. Extending in an idyllic setting, it is made up of fifteen chapels and oratories depicting the stations of the Way of the Cross leading to Jerusalem's Golgotha.
The various buildings, which draw on all the architectural styles of the past, house some fifty painted wooden statues, generally life-size, complemented by frescoes and trompe-l'oeil paintings. Architecture, sculpture, and painting combine here to evoke, in strikingly realistic images, the life and Passion of Christ. This beautiful ensemble was once such an important pilgrimage site that it earned Megève the nickname "Jerusalem of Savoy" for a time. Now listed as a historical monument, it represents a place of remembrance for locals, a pleasant destination for holidaymakers, and offers everyone a panoramic view of the upper Arly Valley and the foothills of Mont Blanc.
Major restoration work, carried out between 2001 and 2007, restored the entire site to its initial appearance. The chapels and oratories have been carefully restored both internally and externally and the surrounding spaces redeveloped to reflect the XNUMXth century landscape.
The path is lit.

0/ Departure from the village between the casino parking lot and the Vieux Megève restaurant via steps towards the Saint Michel cross.

1/ Continue along the main path towards the first chapel and the Refuge du Calvaire restaurant

2/ Let yourself be guided while going up on the path and observing the different oratories that present themselves throughout the walk.

3/ Arriving on the Mont d'Arbois plateau, take the path in the opposite direction or descend to the village by shuttle (in season only) which can be taken from the "Mont d'Arbois" stop.