Fontenay Abbey

Inside the abbey grounds you will feel the magic of the place. You will feel transported to the past. The best part is the foundry where the monks invented a way to use water energy to work iron.

Sounded like just another place but it's very impressive - a water wheel powered hydraulic hammer attached to the (very impressive) forge operating since 1100 and something - 1 st industrial factory in Europe. When you think about it, it's pretty staggering.

Gorgeous place to walk around. Don’t need to buy tickets in advance for autumn season.

I recently visited Fontenay Abbey and it was an absolutely amazing experience! The stunning architecture and beautiful gardens left me in awe. Serene place to sit and contemplate being a monk! The guided tour was only in French which was disappointing but the leaflet helped me understand the history of the abbey. The world's first hydraulic iron forge was interesting. Overall, a must-visit destination for anyone interested in history and architecture. Definitely deserving of 5 stars.

Beautiful Monastery from the 12th century. Such a peaceful place to spend a couple of hours. Credit cards accepted. Cafeteria has vending machine with sandwiches, drinks/sodas and sweets. We saw a couple of dogs on a leash walking around. Souvenirs shop with books, cards and local products.

Worth a look if in the area, it's just over an hour from Beaune, beautifully kept and very interesting. Spent just over an hour there, entry is 11 euros. Refreshments on site by way of vending machines and there are toilets. Lovely gift shop at the exit.

What a great place to visit if you are around. It is beautiful and we could see the really take care of everything, during our visit it was possible to see some employees working around. We had a blast, definitely a must go in Burgundy!

Beautiful Medieval abbey. Very tranquil way to spend an hour or two if you arrive early.