At the outmost of the Champagne region and Burgundy, Clairvaux is a land of silence in the very heart of the old Gallic forest. It is the place where, nine centuries ago, saint Bernard came to clear the glade of the Val d'Absinthe to build the biggest abbey in the Cistercian order. Clairvaux became a prison at the beginning of the nineteenth century, enclosed within endless walls which hide the beautiful remains of past splendors. This prison only closed in 2023 and the Ministery of Culture has finally regained the historic parts of this walled town which can now, at last be visited.
Guided tours only.
Length of the tour : about 1h30 (in french with foreign language texts).
From Wednesday 4 February to Sunday 1 March 2026:
Monday and Tuesday: no visits
Wednesday to Sunday: visits at 10.30am and 2.30pm
From Monday 2 March to Sunday 31 May 2026:
Monday and Tuesday: no tours
Wednesday to Friday: tours at 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday : tours at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Monday, June 1 through Sunday, July 5, 2026:
Monday and Tuesday: general tour at 10:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
Wednesday through Friday: general tour at 10:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m., and 4:00 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: general tour at 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 27, and Sunday, June 28, 2026 (monastic market): general tour at 10:30 a.m, 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.
From Monday, July 6 to Sunday, August 30, 2026:
General tours: Monday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2:30 PM and 4:30 PM
Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 11:00 AM and 4:30 PM
Monday, August 31 through Sunday, October 4, 2026:
PLEASE NOTE: SPECIAL SCHEDULE for European Heritage Days (September 19 and 20, 2026) – see calendar
Clairvaux Grand Concerts (September 26 and 27, 2026): General tour on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. only
Monday and Tuesday: general tour at 10:30 AM and 3:00 PM
Wednesday through Friday: general tour at 10:30 AM, 2:00 PM, and 4:00 PM
From Monday, October 26 to Sunday, November 1, 2026:
Monday and Tuesday: no tours
Wednesday through Friday: general tours at 10:30 AM and 2:30 PM
Saturday and Sunday: general tour at 2:30 PM
Monday, November 2 through Sunday, December 20, 2026:
Monday and Tuesday: No tours
Wednesday through Sunday: General tours at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Saturday, November 7, and Sunday, November 8, 2026 (monastic market), additional general tour at 3:30 p.m.
The site will be closed for the winter season from Monday, December 21, 2026, through Tuesday, February 2, 2027, inclusive
-9,50€ / adult
-6€ / 18-25
-free / - 18