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).
Wednesday 5 to Friday 28 February:
Monday and Tuesday: no tours
Wednesday to Sunday: general tour at 10.30 am and 2.30 pm
From Saturday 1 March to Sunday 6 July :
Monday and Tuesday: general tours at 10.30 am and 3 pm
Wednesday to Sunday: general tour at 10.30am (except Saturday) - 2.15pm and 4.15pm
Friday: tour of the site at 4.15pm*.
From Monday 7 July to Sunday 31 August 2025:
Monday to Friday at 10.15am - 11am (except Wednesdays) - 3.15pm and 4.30pm
Saturday and Sunday at 2pm and 4.30pm
* by reservation only and PLEASE NOTE that some dates may be cancelled due to scheduled events.
-9,50€ / adult
-6€ / 18-25
-free / - 18