Abbaye Royale de l'Épau

Founded in 1230 by Berengaria of Navarre, widow of Richard the Lionheart, it is one of the finest Cistercian jewels in France. It was acquired by the Département de la Sarthe in 1959.

The Abbaye Royale de l'Épau is one of the finest examples of Cistercian architecture in western France.
of France.

Founded in 1230 by Queen Berengaria of Navarre, the Abbaye Royale de l'Épau was home to Cistercian monks until the French Revolution. It was then sold as national property, became a laundry and then a farm. Owned by the Conseil départemental de la Sarthe since 1959, the site is currently undergoing a major restoration programme to give it a new lease of life. Listed as a Historic Monument since 1973, this Cistercian abbey is home to a treasure: the recumbent statue of Queen Berengaria. An open cloister leads to the monastic buildings, where the monks used to work and pray. Since the 1970s, the abbey has been the venue for meetings of the Assemblée départementale. Today, it is one of the most important cultural venues in the Sarthe thanks to its rich and varied cultural programme.