ABBEY OF AUBAZINE

Discover this magnificent ^12th-century Cistercian abbey, fed by an exceptional hydraulic network - the Canal des Moines - and founded by Étienne d'Obazine, who retired as a hermit, around 1125, in the woods covering the spur on which the village is now built. The abbey boasts many treasures, including a collection of ^12th-century Cistercian stained glass windows and a unique octagonal bell tower in the Limousin style. Its architectural sobriety is a benchmark in Cistercian art.

Today, you can take a guided tour of the abbey to discover its conventual buildings, laid out around the cloister and its monolithic fountain: the dormitory with its impressive adobe floor, the scriptorium and chapter house with their harmonious vaults, the kitchen with its imposing fireplace, the terrace overlooking the fishpond (recently restored) where the Canal des Moines flows in..

Discover the history and important spiritual and economic influence of Aubazine Abbey on the Massif Central (Cantal cheeses owe much to Aubazine) and south-west France. in the ^19th century, Aubazine Abbey, then an orphanage, was also a place of inspiration for one of its famous residents, Gabrielle Chanel, who drew her refined, timeless style from the abbey's sobriety. Take a look in particular at the church's Cistercian stained glass windows: sober in appearance, these geometrically-patterned windows inspired the two intertwined letters "C" in Coco Chanel's logo.