Abbaye de Sorde

The Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Jean de Sorde was founded in the Middle Ages on the banks of the Gave d'Oloron in a natural setting that is now protected.

The abbey complex, made up of the church, the conventual buildings and the abbey dwelling, was built on the remains of a Gallo-Roman villa (3rd-6th centuries): excavations have revealed beautiful mosaic pavements, typical of the school of Aquitaine, as well as private thermal baths.

The church, with free access, has preserved sculpted decorations and mosaics from the Romanesque period as well as an 18th century marble high altar.

The conventual buildings rebuilt at the beginning of the 18th century are open to the public from April to November. Partially in ruins, they have been the subject of an extensive restoration program since 2002.

The cloister serves as a setting for the shows (concerts, theatre) which punctuate the cultural season and the chapter house, the vestibule and the parlor host artists' residences and temporary exhibitions.

Event 2022:

A new fun course for the family! The life of monks explained to children... and parents! The parlor, the cloister, the chapter house and the garden are the "playground" of this guided tour where you learn while having fun.

Flash tours! Find the guides of the abbey and let yourself be surprised by an unusual visit where the theme discussed will be revealed to you on site!

and since last year, the Gallo-Roman mosaics of the Abbey of Sorde! The guided tour invites you to go back in time to the ancient period: discover the archaeological site of the Gallo-Roman villa and its superb mosaic pavements.

These new visit proposals make it possible to enhance this exceptional ensemble listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the roads to Santiago de Compostela in France.

Check out our events here!