Abbaye Royale de Saint-Riquier

Abbey in Abbeville

CC BY-SA 2.0 / Paul Hermans

Nestled in the verdant countryside of the Somme department in Hauts-de-France, the Abbaye Royale de Saint-Riquier welcomes you with its soaring Gothic arches and the gentle murmur of the Authie River nearby. As you approach along the tree-lined avenue, the abbey’s twin western towers come into view, their stonework gleaming in the morning light. The expansive forecourt invites a moment of pause—listen for the bell’s toll echoing across fields, a reminder of the abbey’s centuries-old monastic rhythm.

Step through the great portal into the vast nave, where slender columns rise to rib-vaulted ceilings painted in soft pastel hues. The light filtering through restored 16th-century stained-glass windows casts jewel-toned patterns on the stone floor, illuminating carved misericords and the intricately carved choir stalls. Take time to walk the ambulatory, pausing at each chapel to admire the delicate tracery and the serene ambiance that once drew pilgrims from across northern France.

Beyond the church, the landscaped cloister garden offers a quiet retreat beneath lime trees and fragrant lavender beds. Meander along gravel paths to discover the remnants of the chapter house and the old refectory, where modern interpretive panels recount the abbey’s role as a center of learning and cultural exchange. In summer months, the abbey hosts chamber music concerts in the dovecote courtyard—soft strings and woodwinds weaving through the open arches under a canopy of stars.

The Abbaye Royale de Saint-Riquier appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Abbeville!

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