Part of the church and the Abbot’s house This Cistercian Abbey was built at the bottom of a valley in the middle of the twelfth century. It was a resting point on the way to Saint James of Compostela. Over time, the Abbey grew rich enough to rival the Abbey at Noirlac (Cher), with lands of over 3000 hectares. George Sand mentioned it in her novel Les Beaux Messieurs de Bois Doré (The Fine Gentlemen of Bois Doré). At the beginning of the twentieth century, Varennes became home to a ‘salon’ where various painters (Fernand Maillaud, Bernard Naudin) and writers (Maurice Rollinat, André Maurois, Roger Martin du Gard) met, and whose central figure was the photographer Jenny de Vasson.

Nearby :
Le Magny twelfth century, added to in the fifteenth century, next to a Benedictine priory dating from the fifteenth century, with traces of frescoes and capitals ; Chassignolles twelfth, fifteenth, and nineteenth century statues and late gothic chapels ; Pouligny Saint Martin, wall paintings of the months of the year.

Outside only, in the afternoon between July and September. Guided tours on request for groups between April and October
Languages spoken : French and English.
Opening times :
Tel. 02 54 31 30 59
http://galerie.amarica.free.fr