To be found on our tourist routes
You can also find La Celle Abbey as a stopover on our tour of the monasteries of the Var, aimed at history buffs and travel enthusiasts alike.
Var Tourisme / Nicolas Lacroix
La Celle Abbey
Built between the late 12th and early 13th centuries, this abbey is a remarkable example of Provençal Romanesque art. Owned by the Département du Var since 1990, major restoration work has been ongoing since then, with a view to restoring the entire monument.
An abbey rich in history ...
Built in La Celle, a typical Provencal hinterland village nestling in exceptional greenery, the abbey was home to Benedictine nuns from the great families of Provence and Languedoc for over 500 years. The Countess of Provence Garsende de Sabran retired here in 1225. The convent was finally closed in the 17th century at the beginning of the reign of Louis XIV. Today, the 12th-century church contains some remarkable furnishings, including altarpieces and a 14th-century Catalan crucifix, as well as a 12th-century sarcophagus.
Var Tourisme / Nicolas Lacroix
... partly converted into a showroom
The Département organises two exhibitions a year in the Abbey. One, in the dormitory, is dedicated to archaeology. The objects on display come from excavations carried out in the département and conserved by the département's heritage and archaeology department. The other, in the refectory, is dedicated to contemporary art.
Var Tourisme / Nicolas Lacroix
The abbey and its surroundings
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See also...
Other not-to-be-missed sites to see and visit in the Var.
Marianne d’Or
du développement durable 2024
Lauréat de la “Meilleure identité visuelle”
aux Trophées de la Communication 2023
