Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire

A Loire tourist city with over 1400 years of history and culture.

About forty kilometers from Orléans, on the 'Loire by bike' route, Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire is within the perimeter classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site. This Loire city, over 1,400 years old, is intimately linked to the history of its abbey.

Until the 6^th century, the small city known as Fleury is a place of druidic worship, before monks settle there and found a monastery, to which the history of the town is tied. It is one of the first in France to adopt the rule of Saint Benedict. In the early Middle Ages, the abbey has a school, a scriptorium, and a rich library. The relics it holds lead to numerous pillages, but it is rebuilt each time. It later exerts significant spiritual influence but loses some of its power during the wars of religion. Nationalized during the French Revolution, the abbey falls into ruin and the religious order is dissolved. The monastery is saved from destruction and renovated in the 19^th century. Between 1921 and 1944, the illustrious writer Max Jacob is a guest there. It isn't until after the war that Benedictines return to settle there.

IN VIDEO

NOT TO BE MISSED

• Every Friday: local producers' market
• May: Marine festival
• June: Saint John's fire
• September: European Heritage Days
• December: Christmas market

ESSENTIALS

• The Basilica (Historical Monument) http://www.abbaye-fleury.com
• The Belvedere (Interpretation Center dedicated to the architecture of the abbey and the life of the Benedictines) https://www.belvedere-valdesully.fr
• The Port
• The Banks of the Loire
• The Knights Templar House (Historical Monument)
• The Visit of Saint-Benoît with its moats
• The Max Jacob route

TO DOWNLOAD

• Brochure "Discovering Heritage"
• Leaflet "Discover Heritage" (EN)

Nearby

• The Carolingian Oratory of Germigny (Historical Monument) https://www.tourisme-valdesully.fr/decouvrir/les-incontournables/inconto...
• The Château de Sully-sur-Loire (Historical Monument) http://www.chateausully.fr/
• The Puits Pond
• The Orleans Forest
• The Sologne

CONTACTS

Tourist Office
Tel: 02.38.35.79.00
www.tourismevaldesully.fr

Town Hall
Tel: 02.38.35.73.28
www.saint-benoit-sur-loire.fr

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