Abbey of Arthous Fun and educational activities for children in Hastingues

Once upon a time... Arthous, an abbey nestled in the verdant countryside of the southern Landes, inviting you to walk in the footsteps of those who have occupied it over time, from its foundation in the 12th century to the present day: canons, farmers, archaeologists, scientists, artists...

This historic monument, full of architectural curiosities, holds some astonishing surprises. Look up and discover the incredible wealth of bestiary sculpted into its stones, a mix of fantastical and real animals. Cross the floors of the buildings once reserved for the canons and discover its exceptional treasures... because Arthous is an abbey, but not only that...

Browsing the site is also fun: you are allowed to touch, handle and play in several of its visitor areas.

Open to the public from April to October.

Arthous Abbey is open:

• From April 1st to June 30th, from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
• From July 1st to September 30th, from 10am to 1pm and from 2pm to 6pm. Closed on Mondays.
• From September 1st to October 31st, from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
• Closed on May 1st.

PRICES

• Full price: €5;
• Reduced rate: €3.50;
• Free entry for those under 25 and the first weekends of the month for everyone.

FAMILY AGENDA 2025

• Permanent route – Special children

Awaken your senses! At Arthous, you're welcome to touch, handle, and play throughout the permanent exhibition. Four areas are available to explore the history of the abbey, its surrounding area, its incredible prehistoric treasures, and its unique medieval sculptures.

Families, and especially children, can be equipped for these tours with a bag containing Môm'Art game sheets designed as investigations (from 7 years old), coloring for the youngest... and pairs of binoculars to get closer to the fabulous decor of fantastic or real animals hidden under the cornices of the church's apse or on its capitals.

Thanks to the interactive modules installed in the “ Model Room ”, discover the architecture of the abbey and reconstruct Romanesque or Gothic vaults.

In the " Sculpture Room ", reproductions of the sculpted bestiary of the chevet allow you to guess at your fingertips the Romanesque decor of the former abbey church.

An investigation to follow as a family is available online on the Wivisite application: “ The mystery of Arthous or the quest for the forgotten secret ”.

Let yourself be surprised by the “ Room of Treasures ” which offers an encounter between three exceptional and famous horse sculptures dating back more than 17,000 years, and the contemporary perspective of the artist photographer Claire Artemyz.

The " Salle du Pays d'Orthe ", named after the area where the abbey was founded, can be discovered in the form of chronological, historical and very fun modules, from prehistory to the present day.

• Exhibition from June 25 to September 21, 2025 – “Abbeys seen from the sky” by Yann Arthus-Bertrand

In 2025, the site welcomes the photographs of the famous photographer and invites you to discover his architectural gems from France and the world as much as to explore them. From the cloister gallery to the choir of the old church, we are carried away by this aerial journey. While at human height, these emblematic sites such as monasteries, convents and other abbeys invite us to look up, what becomes of them "seen from the sky," lost in places that seem inaccessible or engulfed by urbanization?

• Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 April from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. – Open days at the abbey

Free and open visits.

Flash tours (30 minutes) at 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. to discover the entire heritage site in the company of an abbey guide.

• Thursday, April 24 from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. – Workshop “Colors in the Middle Ages”

During the Easter holidays, share a moment with your family: discover and apply colors like a medieval artist on reproductions of modillions from the apse of the abbey church.

From 6 years old, €3/person (child and adult), 12 people maximum, workshop led by an abbey mediator.

• Saturday, May 17 from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. – “Museum Night”

Demonstration of 3D modeling applied to the remains of the abbey.

Mathieu Beaud, doctor of medieval art history and specialist in the iconographic theme of the Adoration of the Magi , will be setting up with the DoMA project team and its equipment in the " Sculpture Room " to meet the public. At the heart of this special exchange: feedback on the techniques for digitizing the abbey's sculpted stones, on the researchers' objectives and working methods, and on the stages of the virtual reconstruction of the former portal of the abbey church. Free.

• Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 June from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. – European Archaeology Days

Unique encounters with restorer and sculptor Valérie Tatin-Sauzet, in her workspace at the abbey: witness her restoration of the sculpted stones of the abbey church's former portal "live" and share a unique moment of discussion. Free.

• Saturday, July 5 at 8:30 p.m. – Closing concert of the CANT A CHOEUR International Choral Singing Festival

Organized by the men's choir of the Pays d'Orthe, Lous Gaouyous. Join all the choirs from this ^17th festival in the abbey courtyard for a unique and moving experience. Admission: €15 / Free for children under 16.

Information and reservations from the association: 06.77.80.57.82 / 06.37.45.57.29

Or from the Kiwi Valley Tourist Office: 05.58.73.00.52

• Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 September from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. – European Heritage Days

Free and open visits.

Guided tours of the heritage site in the company of the abbey's mediators.

• Saturday, October 4 at 3 p.m. – Conference as part of Science Week

“ Ecology and paleoecology of trout ” presented by Ms. Joëlle Chat, molecular geneticist, Ms. Françoise Daverat, ecologist, and their doctoral student, Ambra d'Aurelio, from INRAE (Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle).

This conference sheds light on the PALEOFISH and CRUCIAL research programs, launched to better understand the genetic diversity of migratory fish (trout, salmon, and eels) from prehistory to the present day. The Landes Department has made more than 200 fish vertebrae from the collections of Arthous Abbey available to researchers. This archaeological find comes from the Duruthy rock shelter (Sorde-l'Abbaye) and represents traces of fishing activities by nomadic groups around 16,000 years ago. The conference will focus on trout. Free admission.

• Thursday, October 23 and Thursday, October 30 from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. – Workshop “Colors in the Middle Ages”

During the All Saints' Day holidays, share a moment with your family: discover and apply colors like a medieval artist on reproductions of modillions from the apse of the abbey church.

From 6 years old, €3/person (child and adult), 12 people maximum, workshop led by an abbey mediator.

Downloads:

• Download document: abbaye-d-arthous.pdf