History

Located between Sarlat and Bergerac, Cadouin Abbey is a historic monument and UNESCO World Heritage Site on the Pilgrim’s Way to Santiago de Compostela.

Founded in 1115, Cadouin was the eleventh abbey to join the Cistercian Order, known for its commitment to the Rule of Saint Benedict: a life of poverty, austerity and silence.

Although the monks ceased their activities in 1790, the abbey church and the Romanesque foundations of the 12th-century buildings remain. But it is in the cloister, rebuilt at the end of the 15th century, that Cadouin reveals all its splendour. Finely carved columns, elegantly interlaced vaults, delicate arabesques… This jewel of extravagant Gothic art will transport you to a world of light and shadow, where every detail is fascinating.

Freshly restored, this majestic building opens its doors wide to reveal its most precious treasures.