Abbaye de Noirlac

About

The construction of the abbey of Noirlac was startedin 1150 by a small group of monks who came from Clairvaux. The abbey expressed the monastic asceticism of the Cistercian order founded by St-Robert and St-Bernard. From the 16th century to the French Revolution, the few monks in residence dedicated their time to the management of the community estate as well as to spiritual life. In 1791, the abbey is seized as a public property. It then became a china factory during the major part of the 19th century. The monument became the property of the Cher department in 1909 and was the object of a remarkable rehabilitation from 1950 to 1980, which restored the authentic character of the abbey reflecting its original blueprint. The abbey embarked on the path to modernity when new stain-glass windows were ordered to the contemporary artist Jean-Pierre Raynaud. Today, it is a renowned center of artistic and cultural exchanges.

At a glance

• Typical visit: about 1 hour 30 minutes