A Cluniac foundation

 

From the heights of Mount Canisy to the edge of the Touque, the small town of Saint-Arnoult stretches. Located mid-slope, the priory is nestled in the center of a quiet residential area, overlooked by the crowd of visitors to the nearby beaches and the famous neighbor, Deauville. It is a place full of charm, whose very ancient religious function is linked to the presence of a known source for the healing of “knotted” children attributed to Saint Arnoult.

Established in 1061, the priory of Saint-Arnoult is the first Norman foundation of the order of Cluny. He was attached to the Abbey of Longpont, in Ile-de-France,Main Cluniac Priory . The priority chapel dates from this period, the only covered part that has preserved its Romanesque sculpted decor and traces of wall paintings, as well as moving votive offerings in thanks for past healings. This small building is supported by the apse of another religious building, which was the city’s parish church until the Revolution. In the open air, it is remarkable for its vestiges of pre-Romanesque architecture, rare in Normandy, but also for an elegant Gothic chapel in its northern part.

The association of the Friends of the priory and the town are working closely to conserve and enhance the site, which has benefited in recent years from extensive renovation and a 3D visit.

The Priory is the only Cluniac site in Normandy, a candidate for UNESCO World Heritage, via the European Federation of Cluniac Sites.