Lac de Lucelle and the former abbey

Around the lake, only a few walls bear witness to the buildings of the former monastery. The arch of a doorway, a fountain and the country house of the abbot Delfils cannot truly convey how the abbey once looked. A statue in the garden of the monastery preserves the memory of St. Bernard, recalling the origin of the foundation of Lucelle. The abbey came into being because of the impression that the world-famous abbey of Citeau in Burgundy made on the people in the 12th century. St. Bernard himself blessed the first stone and the spring of the new abbey, in which twelve monks came to dwell. Until 1790, Lucelle played an important role and was the most famous Cistercian abbey for many miles around.