Brief synthesisThe church of St Mary Magdalene is a former French abbey established in Vézelay in Burgundy-Franche-Comté, in the department of Yonne. In 1217, Francis of Assisi chose the hill of Vézelay to found the first Franciscan establishment on French soil. Criterion (i): The church of St Mary Magdalene of Vézelay is a masterpiece of Burgundian Romanesque art. It is dominated by the abbey church, the existence and activity of which gave rise to the town which ends at the foot of the slope. AuthenticityThe Revolution and its consequences resulted in the disappearance of the major part of the abbey, with the exception of the abbey church.