On 24 May, the Romanesque church of Saint-Nicolas de Myre in Rougemont hosted the official opening of the travelling exhibition Cluny#tousconnectés. Installed along the church’s side aisles, the exhibition retraces the legacy of the Cluniac monastic network, of which Rougemont was once a part, and highlights its current joint application for UNESCO World Heritage status.

The timing is no coincidence: this year, La Folia, the celebrated early music festival, marks its 25th anniversary. Since its inception, the Cluniac church in Rougemont—with its pure acoustics and historic aura—has served as a stunning concert hall for the festival’s performances. Organisers said it was only fitting that the church now also become a platform to support the Cluny movement’s cultural mission.

The exhibition was conceived by the Association du Site de l’Abbatiale de Payerne and curated by Anne-Gaëlle Villet and Karina Queijo; however, regrettably, both were unable to attend the vernissage.

Rougemont: A unique Cluniac site in the Alps
As the exhibition panels explain, the story of Cluny goes far beyond architecture or religious devotion. Founded in 909 in Burgundy, the Cluniac Order quickly grew into a pan-European network of over 2,000 monasteries and priories, united by a shared vision and liturgical practice. Remarkably, Rougemont—built between 1073 and 1085—is the only Cluniac site in the Alpine region. In Switzerland, a total of twelve priories belonged to the order, including major ones in Payerne and Romainmôtier.

A Medieval network before its time
The exhibition notes that one of the Cluny movement’s greatest achievements was maintaining cohesion across vast distances in an age without modern communication. Instead, abbots and monks travelled hundreds—sometimes thousands—of kilometres on foot to ensure a shared doctrine and mutual understanding. This unity of purpose and cultural exchange arguably laid the groundwork for a first vision of a pan-European identity in the Middle Ages.

Journey like the monks
Just like the monks who once journeyed between Cluniac sites, the exhibition itself is also travelling. Created in Payerne, it moved to Cluny in 2024 before arriving in Rougemont. From here, it may continue on to other sites involved in the UNESCO candidacy.

Will the exhibition tip the scale in Cluny’s favour? “No,” says La Folia board member Michaela Hommel. “But every opportunity to highlight the value of this heritage counts.” The project to have the Cluniac network recognised as a UNESCO site officially began in 2019. Coordinated by the European Federation of Cluniac Sites, nearly 1,100 sites across eight countries are now part of the initiative—including Rougemont and four others in Switzerland.

The exhibition remains open to the public, free of charge, until 22 June. Visitors can explore the display daily from 8:00 to 20:00 inside the church of Saint-Nicolas de Myre in Rougemont.

The exhibition also sets the stage—both literally and figuratively—for this year’s La Folia festival, which begins on 5 June. For its 25th edition, the celebrated early music series once again brings world-class performers to the intimate and acoustically remarkable setting of Rougemont’s Romanesque church. A perfect harmony of history, architecture, and music—don’t miss it. Link here to the program.

Based on AvS | Text and photos Tina Dosot

What Were the Cluniacs?
The Cluniacs were a powerful Benedictine reform order founded around 900 CE at the Abbey of Cluny in Burgundy. Known for their focus on liturgy, they helped shape religious practices across Europe—introducing, among other things, All Souls' Day, still observed in the Catholic Church today. Their influence soon spread to Switzerland, where they established priories in Payerne, Romainmôtier and Rougemont, among others.

Read the earlier article in GL here