Abbaye Saint-Maurice de Carnoët

Clohars-Carnoët

Founded between 1170 and 1177 by Maurice Duault in the forest of Carnoët, with the support of Duke Conan IV, this Cistercian abbey was a dependency of Langonnet and first bore the name of Notre-Dame-de-Carnoët before taking that of its canonised founder, whose relic was translated to Langonnet before twenty thousand faithful. Rebuilt in the 17th century under Abbot Guillaume Riou, it suffered badly at the Revolution; the château built on its ruins in the 19th century was lost in a fire in the 20th century. Acquired in 1991 by the Conservatoire du littoral, it retains its 13th-century chapter house and muniment room, its barn, its abbey farm and the 18th-century orangery. The abbey farm, converted into an exhibition centre on Cistercian life, also houses a colony of bats that can be watched by infrared camera.

Getting there : Free access to the site, managed by the commune of Clohars-Carnoët

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

Ambient sound