OLD ABBEY OF SAINT-BENOÎT

Of the ancient Romanesque abbey of Saint-Benoît, the church of Saint-André and its eastern wing remain today. Founded in the 7th century by Saint Achard, it housed the relics of Saint Benedict during the flight of monks from Normandy in the face of Viking advances. Destroyed in the 9th century, rebuilt in the 11th century, today it is possible to see the sculpted capitals of the chapter house and the old monks' dormitory with its overturned ship's hull frame.