CROWN ABBEY

Access to the site is free. To see this exceptional monumental complex, rely on the high chimney of the Lafarge cement works. At their foot, on this land of Romanesque art, stands the most interesting example of Gothic architecture, of the so-called Plantagenet style, which is also found in the Saint-Pierre cathedral in Poitiers. The remains of this abbey were used as stone quarries before their classification as Historical Monuments in 1904. Strangely enough, the coexistence of an industrial architecture with that of the abbey does not really create an awkward contrast. These elevations seem to answer each other. In spite of the huge sections of the religious building that have disappeared, the whole remains massive and powerful. Next to the abbey are the buildings of the convers, a simpler but neat construction probably dating from the end of the 12th century. Inside, there is a beautiful staircase with several flights and balusters from the 17th century. From the outside, the fine openings on the first floor were intended to light the brothers' dormitory. Next to these buildings is a modern U-shaped dwelling with an extravagant portal.