THE SAINT-ANDRÉ ABBEY AND ITS GARDENS

Closed from November 1st to February. From March to October, opening times vary according to season. Adults: €9. Guided tour €15. Full rates on line. Guided tour. Soft drinks and ice creams available at reception. Gift store. Animations.

Nestled in the heart of Fort Saint-André, on the heights of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, the Benedictine and Royal Abbey of Saint-André welcomes you to a setting that is both majestic and soothing. On this ridge bathed in light, history, art and nature meet in rare harmony. The abbey's elegant architecture combines monastic sobriety with classical refinement. You'll marvel as you explore its vaulted rooms, reworked in the XVIIᵉ and XVIIIᵉ centuries, its monumental staircase and richly sculpted portal. Inside, superb murals, including those by painter Émile Bernard, stand alongside eclectic and fascinating collections. Among the permanent exhibits, some plunge you into the refined world of fashion in the 1920s and 1930s, through the creations of the great couturiers. Others will take you on a journey into the world of antique dolls, tracing their history from the late XIXᵉ century through to the XXᵉ century. But if the main building is the heart of the abbey, it's its gardens that are its soul. Awarded the "Remarkable Garden" label, these green terraces display an abundance of Mediterranean vegetation: wisteria, old roses, century-old olive trees, sculptures and ponds. Remains of Romanesque churches nestle among the flowerbeds. More than a monument, Saint-André Abbey is a living place, anchored in its time. Throughout the year, it offers a rich and varied cultural program, with temporary exhibitions, concerts and conferences. A place of memory, contemplation and creation, Saint-André Abbey is an address not to be missed, where every visit becomes an enchanted interlude. Not to be missed!