The Cistercian Abbaye de Cadouin
The Abbaye de Cadouin is nestled in the peaceful Bélingou Valley, in the heart of the Bessède Forest, between the Périgord Noir and Périgord Pourpre regions, halfway between the historic towns of Sarlat-la-Canéda and Bergerac.
The abbey and its church has long been an important stop on the pilgrimage route, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the Chemins de Saint Jacques de Compostelle – The Way of St. James (Camino de Santiago).
Founded in 1115 by Géraud de Salles under the patronage of Robert Arbrissel, the visionary founder of the renowned Cistercian Abbaye de Fontevraud in the Loire Valley, the Abbaye de Cadouin quickly established itself as a major spiritual and cultural centre.
Officially affiliated with the Cistercian Order in 1119, it received significant endowments of land and fiefs.
A superb illustration of Cistercian architecture
The church of the Abbaye de Cadouin was consecrated in 1154, is a splendid illustration example of Cistercian architecture. Its grandeur is undeniable!
It indeed boasts three elegant naves, a splendid dome adorned with exquisite frescoes, and a chancel with finely sculpted capitals decorated with elaborate plant motifs.
Three small round windows, one on the facade and three in the dome, bathe the interior in a soft, warm light.
Two magnificent doorways, one in the Flamboyant Gothic style, the other in French Renaissance style, lead to the spectacular Flamboyant Gothic cloister.
The columns of the vaulted galleries, built from the beautiful local golden limestone, are indeed adorned with a wealth of sculptures, and the walls are embellished with delicate Romanesque murals.
The Holy Shroud of Cadouin
The Abbaye de Cadouin exerted considerable influence from its foundation and became one of the most prestigious abbeys in the kingdom, as it housed the Holy Shroud.
Adhémar de Monteil, the papal legate, brought this relic back from the Holy Land after the First Crusade, intending to keep it in his cathedral in Le Puy en Velay.
However, doubts that arose concerning the relic’s authenticity led to its transfer to the small parish church of Cadouin.
However, all doubts about its authenticity evaporated in 1177 when the Holy Shroud miraculously escaped the flames of the fire that ravaged their small church.
This event immediately turned the Abbaye de Cadouin into a major pilgrimage site, attracting the faithful from all over France and beyond.
The Wars of Religion spared the abbey from destruction, but in 1644 the debate over the authenticity of the Holy Shroud resumed.
Amazingly, this renewed interest also contributed to reaffirm the abbey’s importance as a major centre of faith and pilgrimage in the region.
The outbreak of the French Revolution prompted the mayor of Cadouin to act swiftly to protect the Holy Shroud from desecration.
Once tensions had subsided, the Shroud was displayed again in 1797. However, it wasn’t until 1866 that pilgrimages to the Abbaye de Cadouin resumed, thanks to the intervention of the Bishop of Périgueux.
However all changed in 1934, when a renowned a Jewish scholar formally demonstrated that the linen and silk shroud kept at the Abbaye de Cadouin was not the authentic Holy Shroud, but a fabric woven in Egypt at the end of the 11th century. As a result, the bishopric definitively cancelled the pilgrimage.
The village of Cadouin
The village of Cadouin may no longer display the bustle of yesteryear, but its peaceful and picturesque atmosphere continues to charm, as it has meticulously preserved and restored its many medieval vestiges.
The Porte Saint-Louis is the only remaining of the three original 12th-century gates that once provided access to the monastery grounds.
The pilgrims’ inn was once located on Rue de la Porte Saint-Louis, the village’s main street.
In the days of pilgrimages, this street teemed with life, lined with shops, stalls, and inns catering to the needs of the pilgrims.
Today, only the superb medieval houses built with local limestone in warm ochre hues remain. The village of Cadouin is small , but take the time to stroll through its side streets; you’ll discover old-fashioned shop windows as well as charming gardens full of flowers.
Department of Dordogne
Coordinates Abbaye de Cadouin: Lat 44.811341 – Long 0.873724
