Cloister of Cadouin

The Abbey of Cadouin is hidden in a small and steep-sided valley of the Bessède forest, between the Dordogne river and the Couze (a Dordogne’s tributary). From its foundation, in 1115, in remains the abbey church, the sacristy and the Romanesque base of the monastic buildings. In 1119, the young Abbey of Cadouin becomes Cistercian, in the Abbey of Pontigny’s community, which is itself one of the four Citeaux’s daughters. It has been eleventh abbey attached to the order and had to follow its rule. The Flamboyant Gothic-style cloister dates from the end of the XV century. The Cadouin’s monastic life ended in 1790 during the French Revolution. People who stop in Cadouin will take time to admire the sun drawing light arabesques on the floor through the architectural stencils. With its nearly 10 centuries of history, Cadouin is an universal place, serene and immutable, where many movies and TV films were shot.