The most beautiful abbeys

In Saint-Wandrille-Rançon, at Fontenelle Abbey, time seems to stand still. If you wander around, you’re likely to come across a monk, a member of the community of around 30 men in black. Benedictine monks who, as their name suggests, belong to the Order of St. Benedict. Monks who produce the only abbey beer in France. A beer we can only recommend you try, in moderation.

In Gruchet-le-Valasse, the atmosphere is quite different. The monks deserted the site during the French Revolution, and the Cistercian abbey has since taken on the appearance of a 19th-century bourgeois château. Home to the Tourist Office, it is also used for seminars, weddings and events of all kinds, and part of its space is reserved for coworking.