Abbaye de Clairvaux

Founded in 1115 by Bernard of Clairvaux, this abbey in the Aube became one of the mother houses of the Cistercian order and one of the most influential spiritual and intellectual centres of medieval Europe. Only remains survive of the original Romanesque abbey, but the vast monastic buildings rebuilt in the 18th century, with their large classical courtyard and dome-topped clock, give an idea of the estate's scale.

Turned into a state prison in the 19th century, the abbey long housed a prison on part of the site. It can now be visited on guided tours that bring eight centuries of history back to life, combining architecture, spirituality and the memory of the prison.

← Other sites in Aube