Abbaye Saint-Sauveur de Charroux

Charroux

Founded in 785 by Count Roger of Limoges and his wife Euphrasia of Auvergne under the protection of Charlemagne, the abbey of Saint-Sauveur at Charroux became one of the most powerful Benedictine houses of the early Middle Ages: at its height in the 11th–12th centuries, it controlled 96 churches spread across 16 dioceses and hosted four councils, including that of 989 which instituted the "Peace of God", curbing feudal violence. The original abbey church, destroyed in 989, was rebuilt and dedicated in 1096 by Pope Urban II in person. Charroux's fame rests above all on a controversial relic: in 1082, the monks presented the "Sainte Vertu" (Holy Virtue), later identified by Popes Clement VII and Alexander V as the Holy Foreskin of Christ, a gift that legend attributes to Charlemagne himself, together with fragments of the True Cross brought back from Jerusalem. This relic, displayed at the council of 1082 with "fresh blood" according to the accounts, drew pilgrims and covetous eyes until its disappearance. The abbey then suffered the fire of 1422 during the Hundred Years' War, followed by Huguenot plundering in 1562, 1569 and 1587. Held in commendam, it declined and officially closed in 1762 before being sold as national property in 1790. All that survives today is the octagonal lantern tower of the former transept and remains of the cloister, listed as historic monuments in 1945 and 1950.

Getting there : Place Saint-Pierre, Charroux (Vienne), 45 km south of Poitiers; site managed by the Centre des monuments nationaux, admission charge with lapidary museum, open all year except certain public holidays.

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound