Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Some of today's old town stands on the site of what was the largest church in
Christendom.Itwasalmosttwofootballfieldslong(555feet)andcrownedwithfivesoar-
ing naves. The whole complex (church plus monastery) covered 25 acres. Revolutionaries
destroyeditin1790,andtodaytheNationalStudFarmandabigschoolobliteratemuchof
thefloorplanoftheabbey.Onlyonetowerandpartofthetranseptstillstand.Thevisitor's
challenge: Visualize it. Get a sense of its grandeur.
Walk past the nubs that remain of the once-massive columns, work your way down
the nave and around the right at the bottom, and climb a stairway to find today's abbey
entry. Information displays (in English) designed to introduce the abbey and provide his-
torical context help put the pieces of the ruined building back together. You'll see a
12-minute3-Dfilm,givingavirtualtourofthe1,100-year-oldchurchthathelpsyougrasp
the tragedy of its destruction (French only but you'll get the gist). Use the English flier to
tour what little of the abbey still stands. Your visit ends at the flour mill (Tour de Farine);
makesuretogoupstairstoseetheintricatewoodroofsupportsandadisplayofbeautifully
carved Romanesque capitals. From here you can loop back along the town's main drag,
Rue Mercière (cafés, shops, and the TI line this pedestrian-friendly street).
National Stud Farm (Les Haras Nationaux)
Napoleon (who needed
beaucoup de
horses for his army of 600,000) established this farm
in 1806. Today, 50 thoroughbred stallions kill time in their stables. If the stalls are empty,
they're out doing their current studly duty...creating strapping racehorses. Since 2010, the
complex has been home to the National School of Equestrian Activities. The entry gate is
next to Hôtel de Bourgogne.
Cost and Hours:
€6, visits by guided tour only (some English spoken), riding
demonstrations possible, usually on weekends (check the calendar of “manifestations” on
their website); visits available daily April-June and Sept, usually at 14:00 and 16:00, July-
Aug at 14:00, 15:30, and 17:00; Oct-April Wed and Sun only at 14:00; call ahead to con-
firm times, tel. 03 85 59 85 19,
www.haras-nationaux.fr
.
(€1 = about $1.30, country code: 33)
If you're spending the night, bed down at the homey, traditional, and spotless
$$ Hôtel de
Bourgogne***,
built into the wall of the abbey's right transept and central for enjoying
the town. All rooms have queen- or king-size beds (standard Db-€104, bigger Db-€134,
parking garage-€10, Place de l'Abbaye, tel. 03 85 59 00 58,
www.hotel-cluny.com
,
contact@hotel-cluny.com
). It also has a fine restaurant (
menus
from €26).
