Cluny Abbey.

© Wirestock/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Église Abbatiale

Top choice in Burgundy


Cluny's vast abbey church, built between 1088 and 1130, once extended from the map table in front of the Palais Jean de Bourbon to the trees near the octagonal Clocher de l'Eau Bénite (Tower of the Holy Water) and the adjoining square Tour de l'Horloge (Clock Tower) – a staggering 187m! A short film (multilingual headsets available) helps modern-day visitors envision the grandeur of the medieval abbey while exploring its scant ruins. English-language audioguides (€3) and self-guided tour booklets are available.

Abbey visitors also have access to the grounds of the adjacent École Nationale Supérieure d'Arts et Métiers, an institute for training mechanical and industrial engineers that's centred on an 18th-century cloister. At the far edge of the grounds, don't miss the 13th-century Farinier (flour storehouse), under whose soaring wood-framed roof a series of eight finely carved capitals from the abbey's choir are now housed.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Burgundy attractions

1. Haras National

0.05 MILES

Founded by Napoléon in 1806, the Haras National houses some of France's finest thoroughbreds, ponies and draught horses. A regular schedule of afternoon…

2. Tour des Fromages

0.06 MILES

To better appreciate the abbey's vastness, climb the 120 steps to the top of this tower, once used to ripen cheeses. Access is through the tourist office.

3. Église Notre Dame

0.08 MILES

This 13th-century Gothic church sits just across from the tourist office.

4. Musée d'Art et d'Archéologie

0.09 MILES

For an enlightening historical perspective on Cluny and its abbey, start your visit at this archaeological museum inside the Palais Jean de Bourbon…

5. Château de Cormatin

7.59 MILES

The Renaissance-style Château de Cormatin is renowned for its opulent 17th-century, Louis XIII–style interiors (accessible via a one-hour guided tour) and…

7. Château de Brancion

10.22 MILES

This imposing château, built between the 11th and 14th centuries, looms above the medieval hilltop village of Brancion, 12km west of Tournus. It's a…

8. Musée des Ursulines

12.11 MILES

Musée des Ursulines, housed in a 17th-century Ursuline convent, features Gallo-Roman archaeology, 16th- to 20th-century paintings, and displays about 19th…