ROYAL ABBEY OF LA RÉAU

It's a little jewel in the crown, a surprising place in the making. Built in the late ^12th century under the protection of Eleanor of Aquitaine, the Royal Abbey of La Réau was founded by a community of monks following the rule of Saint Augustine. The abbey flourished to such an extent that its influence extended as far as Brittany. Fortified at the end of the ^14th century, during the Hundred Years' War, it went into decline before being reformed several times, first by Prior Louis de la Rochefoucauld, then by François Henin, in the ^18th century. During the French Revolution, when the Orders were dissolved, the last monks left. Today, listed as a Monument Historique, the Royal Abbey of La Réau is open to the public, allowing visitors to discover its rich heritage. During your visit, which we recommend should be guided, you'll plunge into the history of the monument, of which today only part of the monastic buildings remain, and the charming church , which underwent an extraordinary restoration project in 2023 and regained its roof in 2024 after 300 years with its head in the clouds. Strollthrough the building's many refurbished rooms, discover the monastic cells, the magnificent ^12th-century chapter house and the keystone that once stood in the church, while we explain the various stages of the current restoration project. To attract the interest of younger visitors, there are a number of activities on offer (treasure hunts, photo safaris, calligraphy, etc.). Our favorite is the monument game: "Sauver la Réau". It's an investigation you can carry out with friends or family, in which you are the hero.