The village is famous for its abbey which was built in the 12th century by a noble knight, Pons de Leras. At the end of his life, judging that it was high time to redeem himself, he founded a Cistercian monastery in the middle of nowhere, but near a hot spring. The ancient texts of the cartulary show us the influence of the abbey in all domains: religious, social, economic and cultural for several centuries, on the whole region and far beyond. The revolutionary turmoil left this monument abandoned. One part became a farm building, another was used for parish services, and the rest was destroyed and used as building materials. It wasn't until 1854 that the site attracted the interest of the nation and was classified as a historical monument. It was only in 1970 that the commune of Sylvanès was finally able to buy back the monument. On May 2018, the abbey inaugurated its new stained glass windows: a creative project entrusted to the artist Jean-François Ferraton and the workshop of master glassmaker Philippe Brissy who were inspired by Cistercian spirituality, to imagine colorless and partially opalescent stained glass windows, thermoformed (in a single panel, without lead crimping).Today, the abbey has become a cultural and spiritual center of international renown thanks to the impetus of the former director, Father André Gouzes, who initiated its renovation, and of the current director Michel Wolkowitsky, founder of the International Festival of Sacred Music of Sylvanès. For a good part of the year, Sylvanès Abbey offers a variety of cultural activities and high quality hospitality in a setting that is simply exceptional. Records are recorded here, training courses are held, and people also come to attend high-flying concerts... Thus, the site is not only beautiful restored stone A visit to Sylvanès also includes the discovery of its thermal spring, which once belonged to the monks and which contributed to the flourishing activity of the village in the 19th century. It is even said that the Empress Eugenie thought of taking a cure. Finally, Sylvanès has another surprise in store, unique in France: in the heart of the forest, not far from the abbey, Russians have built, thanks to an original cultural exchange inherited from Perestroïka, an incredible wooden chapel in Orthodox style
