The poetry of ruins

Time is suspended in this peaceful village in the Pays d’Ouche. On the small square, the broad Gothic arcades of the gatehouse are open. Once through the gate, the remains of the 13th-century abbey church spread out below. Of this edifice that was more than 100 metres long, all that remains are the raised parts of the porch and the transept, as well as the bases of the walls and columns in the nave, showing the original layout of the church. The open view on the large pond to the east, the light and calm of the place, all make for an intensely charming walk.

Founded in the 7th century by Evroult, a notable with ties to the Merovingian kings, Notre-Dame-du-Bois enjoyed a brilliant renaissance in the 11th century, with the arrival of monks from Bec Abbey and then Jumièges Abbey as well as the support of two Norman families. As an intellectual and spiritual centre, its scriptorium was one of the best known in Normandy. This period was marked by visits from many exceptional figures, such as Lanfranc, prior of Bec Abbey, and above all Orderic Vital, famed historian of the Norman church.
The abbey became quite rich and enjoyed a period of great reconstruction in the 13th century, to which the current ruins bear witness.
You can now experience the atmosphere and charm of this abbey by staying in the bed-and-breakfast that has been opened in the old abbot’s lodge.

An interpretation center has just opened. It presents the history of the abbey and recent archaeological discoveries, including a beautiful 12th century rose window recently restored.