Abbaye de Vaucelles

Les Rues-des-Vignes

Gothic arcades standing alone amid the meadows of the Scheldt, remnants of a vanished monastic grandeur.

The thirteenth daughter house of Clairvaux, Vaucelles Abbey was founded in 1131 by Saint Bernard in person, on land given by the lord Hugues d'Oisy in the valley of the Scheldt. Its abbey church, 137 metres long, ranked among the largest Cistercian buildings in Europe. Sold and largely demolished as national property after the Revolution, it retains today only monumental remains, notably the 12th-century monks' building. Bought back by the Département du Nord in 2017, it is the subject of a vast restoration programme.

Getting there : Listed as a historic monument in stages; owned by the Département du Nord since 2017, restoration programmed until 2032, medieval garden open to visitors

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

Ambient sound