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All 128 Burgundy Attractions »

L'Abbaye de Fontenay

Marmagne | Montbard, 21500, France
+33 (0) 3 80 92 15 00
Ranked #9 of 110 attractions in Burgundy
4.5 of 5 stars 28 Reviews
Type: Historic Sites
Description: Founded in 1118 by St. Bernard, this is considered one of the oldest Cistercian monasteries in Europe.
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28 reviews from our community

Visitor rating
    22
    4
    2
    0
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Date Rating
raanana
Senior Contributor
21 reviews 21 reviews
Reviews in 14 cities Reviews in 14 cities
4 helpful votes 4 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed April 28, 2012

Well deserving of the Unesco "status . Well preserved with with easy exlanations in English . Beuutiful gardens . Early example of a water mill and forge More

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Nairobi, Kenya
Reviewer
4 reviews 4 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
3 of 5 stars Reviewed April 5, 2012

Teh evening candelight musicals- a afew times a year- a GREAT- not to be missed. The Abbey is ok- feels a bit like they are there to get your money rather than give you an experience. If you go, don't miss the forge. More

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Beaune, France
Senior Reviewer
6 reviews 6 reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed March 2, 2012
1
person found this review helpful

I visit this regularly with clients and it is a great visit on so many levels, history, culture, religion, architecture and according to several clients, the lighting is perfect for photography. I have visited Fountains Abbey (a sister abbey) in the UK and it is brilliant to compare the two but Fontenay is far superior in terms of what is... More

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London
Senior Contributor
22 reviews 22 reviews
Reviews in 10 cities Reviews in 10 cities
20 helpful votes 20 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed January 22, 2012
1
person found this review helpful

Our hosts in Burgundy recommended we visit Fontenay Abbey – in fact, it was more of an instruction than a suggestion! We were not disappointed. L'Abbaye de Fontenay is a beautifully place, sympathetically restored and wonderfully maintained, in a beautiful woodland setting. Well worth going out of your way to visit, it’s not a UNESCO World heritage Site for nothing. More

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Oakland, California
2 reviews
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed November 20, 2011
1
person found this review helpful

This is a lovely fascinating place. The setting is in a small forest and could hardly be more pleasant. The collection of buildings that make up the complex are are all so interesting and varied, and considering how old they are they seem extraordinarily well maintained. The fact that these monks who lived there basically resurrected iron-working in the middle... More

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San Jose, CA.
Reviewer
5 reviews 5 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed September 1, 2011

An exquisite place to spend a day. The refurbished abbaye is tranquil, well maintained and a pleasure to meander through the buildings and grounds. Self guided tour is informative and helpful. The gift shop is not your typical tourist trap, but offers quality material, and is well laid out. More

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Columbia, South Carolina
Contributor
14 reviews 14 reviews
Reviews in 11 cities Reviews in 11 cities
61 helpful votes 61 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed November 7, 2010
1
person found this review helpful

Very worthwhile stop. Interesting, well preserved medieval abbey from the 1100's. UNESCO site. We very much enjoyed the visit. More

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Bradenton, Florida
Top Contributor
89 reviews 89 reviews
Reviews in 37 cities Reviews in 37 cities
43 helpful votes 43 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed September 17, 2010

Spectacular architecture. Lovely grounds. Pleasant gift shop. It is well worth the trip to see it. More

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Edinburgh
Top Contributor
82 reviews 82 reviews
Reviews in 46 cities Reviews in 46 cities
152 helpful votes 152 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed September 14, 2010

Enjoyable visit marred slightly by the presence of a film crew in the cloister which detracted from the serenity of the place. It's a beautiful abbey however and worth a visit. More

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Oakham, United Kingdom
Top Contributor
62 reviews 62 reviews
Reviews in 40 cities Reviews in 40 cities
111 helpful votes 111 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed June 8, 2010
1
person found this review helpful

This really took our breath away at the amount of time and dedication that had been taken by its owners to restore this abbey sympathetically. It's an incredibly plain church with all the associated trappings of living in peace and a life of prayer. It's open year round and all day from April to the beginning of November. Guided tours... More

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