Visit the abbey
While the more adventurous waltz from tree to tree on the accrobranche or have fun on the laser game at the Parc Aventure de Fontdouce, take the time to discover the history and architecture of the former Abbey of Fontdouce, located right next to the Parc Aventure, and stroll through its gardens and vaulted rooms.
Different
styles of visit
Unguided tour
From Easter to All Saints’ Day, discover Fontdouce Abbey at your own pace: with the help of a tour booklet, you can immerse yourself in the heart of Fontdouce Abbey and walk through the magnificent Gothic chapter house, the Romanesque chapels, the parlour and the cellar, while enjoying the calm of the surroundings, disturbed only by the sound of running water. Take your time to stroll around, discover the gardens and enjoy the serene atmosphere of the place, the landscape and the nearby surroundings. A much-appreciated break!
If you would like a guided tour, this can be booked at an additional cost.
For all enquiries, please contact 05 46 74 77 08 or contact@fontdouce.com.
Unusual visit
If you’re already familiar with Fontdouce and want to rediscover the site in a different, original way, then choose the unusual tour!
Take your boots and good shoes with you as you follow the guide around the nooks and crannies, through the most obscure passages and underground along the vaults of the Fontaine Douce; then get some height by climbing up to the start of a zip line, which you descend to enjoy one of the best views of the abbey!
An original guided tour like no other!
For all enquiries, please contact 05 46 74 77 08 or contact@fontdouce.com.
Fontdouce on the water
In a similar vein to a country walk, discover Fontdouce by strolling along the Fontaine Douce stream, which rises 500m upstream from the abbey. You’ll discover the site from a whole new angle, and fully appreciate the beauty of the natural setting surrounding the ancient Abbey of Fontdouce.
For all enquiries, please contact 05 46 74 77 08 or contact@fontdouce.com.
A friendly visit
Enjoy a guided tour with one of the members of the family that has owned the site for several generations: the Boutinet family. Together, you’ll explore the different areas of the abbey and enjoy a personalised discovery of the site, punctuated by more intimate memories, before finishing with a convivial moment over a glass of Pineau des Charentes (or something else, depending on your tastes!).
For all enquiries, please contact 05 46 74 77 08 or contact@fontdouce.com.
Night visit
Equipped with a torch and accompanied by a guide, come and discover the abbey by night and let yourself be overwhelmed by the thrill of discovering the Romanesque and Gothic rooms in the dark. This nocturnal visit is a way of experiencing more deeply and intensely the rich past of these stones, which have seen many generations of monks pass before you since 1111, the date on which the abbey was founded.
For all enquiries, please contact 05 46 74 77 08 or contact@fontdouce.com.
A family adventure
Fontdouce is also the story of a family who became owners of the property shortly after the French Revolution and transformed it into a vast agricultural estate, gradually turning to tourism and events from the 1970s onwards after several decades of extensive restoration work. It’s a sleeping beauty that this family of enthusiasts has succeeded in waking up little by little!
An enchanting natural setting
The Fontdouce site is a combination of a medieval complex and its natural surroundings of forests, vineyards and meadows, all nestled in the hollow of a small valley that gives it all its intimacy. The stream that runs through the bottom of the valley adds its freshness and gentleness to the setting, making it an ideal getaway for lovers of history and architecture, as well as nature, beauty and tranquillity.
A story full of twists and turns
Since 1111, the date of its foundation, the site has undergone radical transformations: starting with its development which, a century after it was built, led to the construction of a second Gothic-style monastery, adjoining the first Romanesque monastery. Then, between the visits of famous people, the granting of Royal Abbey status, the Wars of Religion and the Revolution, Fontdouce went through periods that left their mark on it, before finally fading into obscurity and gradually re-emerging in the 1970s.
