Clairvaux abbey, Aube

Clairvaux abbey was founded in 1115, in a secluded part of the southern Champagne region. Little more than a century later, thanks to Saint Bernard's forceful personality, it was at the head of over 300 abbeys in which the Cistercian reforms were applied.

This expansion was accompanied by successive reconstructions on an ever more imposing scale, culminating in the construction of the large cloister in the 18th century. At the time of the French Revolution, the monks were forced out of the abbey, which was purchased by the state in 1808. The ancient abbey buildings (with the exception of the church) were spared - but only because they were converted into France's largest prison. These same buildings, so deeply imbued with history, are now gradually relinquishing their penal function and acquiring a new vocation that is more in keeping with their spiritual past.

The Inventaire Général is a department of the Ministry of Culture. Its function is to keep records on France's architectural and artistic heritage, as well as doing research on, and providing information about, historical sites. And in this context it is hoped that the Itinéraires du Patrimoine, as guides along the path to discovery, can make a significant contribution to cultural tourism.