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Périgord - France - A historical gem of the Périgord region, Cadouin Abbey offers medieval legends, Romanesque architecture and flamboyant Gothic style
| 2025-10-21 |     |
Located between Sarlat and Bergerac, in the Bélingou valley near the Dordogne River, Cadouin Abbey sits far from any settlement, protected from the outside world by the dense Bessède forest that surrounds it. Founded in 1115 by Géraud de Salles, this flamboyant Gothic abbey is a true treasure of history and mystery. Its fascinating past, marked by the legend of the Holy Shroud and the striking contrasts of its architecture, makes it an exceptional place. Recognized as a historic monument and a UNESCO World Heritage site along the Camino de Santiago, Cadouin Abbey remains a living testimony to the spiritual and artistic genius of the Middle Ages.
Cadouin Abbey: A Treasure of History
Cadouin was the eleventh abbey to join the Cistercian Order, known for its strict observance of the Rule of Saint Benedict: a life of poverty, austerity, and silence. Destroyed during the Hundred Years’ War, the Cadouin community rebuilt the cloister at the end of the 15th century in a completely new style for its time. Constructed from white stone from the north of the department, it contrasts with the adjacent Romanesque abbey church, built from local ochre stone.
The four majestic galleries surround a lush inner garden, offering a remarkable example of architectural intricacy. It is the only example of late Gothic architecture in the Périgord region.
For over 900 years, Cadouin Abbey has proudly raised its walls, a testament to the skill of medieval builders. It provides an ideal setting to explore monastic life in the Middle Ages, architectural styles, and the artistic practices developed by Cistercian monks. Secluded in its valley, the abbey has preserved all of its buildings: the abbey church, cloister, and communal spaces.
The cloister’s capitals, finely carved, are true works of art. Their decorations depict scenes of religious and daily life, with each detail holding spiritual significance. As monks walked through the galleries, they contemplated these sculptures as if reading a book of stone.
For nearly seven centuries, the abbey’s fate was closely tied to the upheavals of history: periods of prosperity alternated with times of great difficulty, until the Revolution of 1790, which transformed the abbey church into the parish church. The abbey also experienced remarkable growth due to the relics of the Holy Shroud, which attracted numerous pilgrims to Cadouin, especially in the 12th and 13th centuries, and again in the second half of the 15th century, before the Hundred Years’ War.
The Shroud of Cadouin
No archives allow for the precise tracing of the origins of Cadouin’s Holy Shroud. For centuries, history and legend were intertwined, and the legacy of this Passion relic by the monks of Cadouin follows the tradition of medieval relics. A sign, displayed in the abbey since the Middle Ages, confirmed its authenticity.
This relic made Cadouin Abbey an important pilgrimage site on the Camino de Santiago, which starts in Vézelay and passes through Périgueux and Saint-Avit-Sénieur Abbey. For this reason, the abbey was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1998.
From 1214 onward, the abbey’s history became inseparable from that of its relic: periods of grandeur and decline followed each other until the Revolution and the departure of the last monks. In 1934, a Jesuit historian determined the age of the object based on decorative bands containing inscriptions. He found an inscription in Kufic script, a form of Arabic writing. Beginning with the “Fatiha,” the Islamic profession of faith, the text indicates that the veil was woven during the time of Al-Musta’li, Caliph of Fatimid Egypt, and his vizier Al-Afdal, at the very end of the 11th century. In 1936, following the publication of this discovery, Monsignor Louis, Bishop of Périgueux, annulled the traditional pilgrimage to Cadouin, causing the abbey to lose much of its revenue.
The Holy Shroud, an extraordinary intact Fatimid textile, is usually displayed in the cloister but is currently undergoing restoration in Périgueux. The original is expected to return to the heart of the abbey, but it will no longer be shown to the public to prevent light damage. Since 2012, an exact facsimile has been presented to visitors.
The story of Cadouin’s Holy Shroud also inspired the writer Jean de La Varende in his novel L’Amour sacré, l’amour profane, highlighting the enduring cultural and literary significance of this relic.
Photos : cChic-magazine.com