SAINT-SAVIN ABBEY

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983, Saint-Savin Abbey is home to a masterpiece unique in Europe: the largest group of Romanesque wall paintings preserved to date. This 11th-century treasure trove unfurls its frescoes over 460 m², perched 17 meters high in a majestic nave bathed in striking light.

Look up! Some 50 scenes from the Old Testament, borrowed from the books of Genesis and Exodus, adorn the nave vault. These include the famous Noah's Ark and the emblematic scene of the building of the Tower of Babel. The entrance porch illustrates the cycle of the Apocalypse, while the upper gallery presents a program dedicated to the Passion and Resurrection of Christ. Guided tours of the upper gallery offer a breathtaking panoramic view of the entire building: the wow effect is guaranteed.

You can explore this exceptional site at your leisure, thanks to a touch-screen tablet offering several different itineraries (30 minutes, 1 hour or unlimited), enriched by multimedia content: animated photos, 3D views, historical reconstructions, archaeologists' and historians' testimonials, soundscapes and period reconstructions... You'll discover the daily life of the monks, medieval building techniques, and the political and religious context of the abbey's foundation. Virtual access to the crypt, closed for conservation reasons, is also available.

To fully immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the site, you can also opt for a guided tour that takes you up to the gallery of the church, from where the full splendor of the building can be appreciated.

Each tour also includes a free exploration of the monastic building: a scenographic tour of the former monks' cells, the monastic garden and the refectory. This vast 17th-century room now houses the "Battle of the Kings" scene, once painted on the vault of the abbey church, as well as a recent exhibition devoted to the abbey's turbulent history.

Other immersive formats enrich the experience: escape games, theatrical tours... The full program is available on the website.

From Saint-Savin, you can also explore the neighboring sites of the Vallée des Fresques, an exceptional area where numerous churches still preserve painted decorations dating from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. A truly artistic and spiritual journey through the centuries. Not to be missed!