Égligny: Abbey History and Historic Routes

Égligny is particularly appealing to travelers interested in monastic history, historic buildings and rural landscapes. The Abbey of Notre-Dame-de-Preuilly offers a glimpse of the surviving evidence of a Cistercian monastery. The Preuilly circular route has a different focus: it links historic buildings with a route through hilly terrain shaped by small tributaries. For planning purposes, it is important to note that the abbey can only be visited during the Journées du Patrimoine; for the circular route, check current trail conditions and waymarking.

The Abbey of Notre-Dame-de-Preuilly

The abbey grounds cover 14 hectares and preserve significant remains from the 12th century. These include the abbey church, choir, nave, transept and chapter house. The site therefore cannot be reduced to a single surviving structure: its remains include both parts of the church and the chapter house. Anyone interested in medieval monastic complexes will find several features here that offer a way to explore the abbey’s architectural form.

The site’s history can also be told in several stages. In 1118, Thibaut, Count of Champagne, gave the land of Preuilly to the Cistercians. Later, Abbot Arthaud and twelve monks founded Notre-Dame de Preuilly during the abbacy of Étienne Harding. It was the fifth daughter house of Cîteaux. The distinction between the dates is important: the land grant is documented in 1118; the foundation is associated with Arthaud and the twelve monks.

The abbey is privately owned and can only be visited during the Journées du Patrimoine. If you want to see the remains in person, plan your visit for this event and check the dates before setting out. A spontaneous visit outside this period is not possible.

Further evidence of religious history

The Église Saint-Martin-Saint-Félicien in Égligny has its own clearly dated heritage protection status: it was listed as a historic monument by decree on 28 May 1926. The statue of Notre-Dame du chêne is a separate feature. It was restored in 2012, dated to the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries, and listed as a protected historic movable object. The church, monastery remains and statue thus offer different ways to explore the town’s religious heritage.

Another religious tradition is the annual pilgrimage of Notre-Dame du Chêne. It runs between the hamlet of Le Chêne and the ruins of the Abbey of Preuilly. If you would like to plan your trip around this pilgrimage, check the date in advance. Visiting the abbey and taking part in the pilgrimage are separate reasons to plan a visit: the abbey can be visited during the Journées du Patrimoine, while the pilgrimage has its own event date.

The Preuilly circular route and the landscape

The Preuilly circular route passes religious and civic buildings in a rural landscape. Hills and valleys shaped by small tributaries of the right bank of the Seine are as much a part of its character as its historic sites. The route offers a view of the former Abbey of Preuilly and then follows the abbey’s enclosing wall. In this way, the route combines a view of the former monastery with a stretch alongside its wall, while remaining set within a landscape distinct from the buildings themselves.

If you plan to walk the circular route, check current trail conditions and waymarking before setting out. This preparation is especially relevant because the route description available dates from a brochure published in June 2020. The Vieille Seine also crosses the territory of the municipality of Égligny as a separate geographical feature. The river, landscape and historic route are distinct aspects of local orientation; they should not necessarily be understood as a single excursion or continuous path.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Chailly-En-Bière, Saint-Martin-du-Boschet, Aulnoy, Arbonne-La-Forêt, Lizines, Amponville, La Chapelle-la-Reine, Savigny-Le-Temple.

For the broader travel overview: Seine-Et-Marne.