Stroll among abbey ruins in the Entre-deux-Mers

This post originally appeared on the Places & Faces blog for The Local Buzz.

Abbaye de La Sauve-Majeure is a UNESCO World Heritage site in the Gironde. 

In a meadow dotted with majestic trees stands the ruins of Abbaye de La Sauve-Majeure. That this vast Benedictine abbey from the 12th century is standing at all is kind of remarkable. This French national monument is located in the heart of the Entre-deux-Mers region, 25 kilometers east of Bordeaux. My visit to the abbey is a highlight of a recent two-day bike trip with friends along the Roger Lapébie bike path. (More about that at the end of this post.)

Arches and capitals topped with biblical depictions are notable features of Abbaye de La Sauve-Majeure. 

Abbaye de La Sauve-Majeure is named for the big forest — Silva Major —  which dominated the surrounding landscape at the time of its construction. The abbey was a powerful priory in its heyday, but was reduced to a "grandiose ruin" and stone quarry following the French Revolution, according to the La Sauve website. The abbey served as a teacher training college until it was obtained by the state in 1960. In 1998 it became a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site under the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France.

The plaza in front of Abbaye de La Sauve-Majeure contains majestic old trees and sweeping views.

We arrive in La Sauve shortly after 10 a.m. on a weekday, so we have the abbey practically to ourselves. We purchase our tickets (6 euros) in the gift shop, and receive sturdy spiral-bound guides in English. We are free to explore and take photos at our leisure.

The nave of Abbaye de La Sauve-Majeure once stood just inside this portal.

Abbaye de La Sauve-Majeure is an open-air landmark, so keep an eye on the weather forecast when planning a visit. There are just a few stairs, and the site can be enjoyed by those with limited mobility. Set upon 3 hectares, there's plenty of space on the grounds for children to run around.

The chapter house at Abbaye de La Sauve-Majeure was where the monks assembled to make important decisions and confess their faults.

Consecration disks featuring apostles were installed at Abbaye de La Sauve-Majeure to commemorate the abbey's completion in 1231.

The church was built in the shape of a Latin Cross. We enter through the nave and find six consecration medallions. There originally were a dozen such stone circles, each featuring an apostle. The medallions were installed in commemoration of the completion of the church in 1231. As we wander through the ruins, we marvel at the various vaults and pillars topped with biblical scenes carved in stone.

Biblical scenes are carved into the pillars and capitals at Abbaye de La Sauve-Majeure.

A major restoration project is underway at Abbaye de La Sauve-Majeure. 

We aren't able to get a close look at portions of the monastic buildings, cloister and bell tower due to renovation work, but watching the artisans toil atop the network of scaffolding is fascinating in itself.

An artisan stands on a tall scaffold at Abbaye de La Sauve-Majeure.

The bell tower of Abbaye de La Sauve-Majeure can be seen through arches at Abbaye de La Sauve-Majeure.

After we have explored the ruins, we check out Musée Lapidaire — the stone museum. If we had more time, we would also visit the Maison des vins de l'Entre-deux-Mers for a bit of wine-growing knowledge and une dégustation, but the next leg of our journey along piste cyclable Roger Lapébie awaits.

Musée Lapidaire at Abbaye de La Sauve-Majeure offers visitors a closeup look at the stone carvings.

Roger Lapébie was the winner of the 1937 Tour de France. The smooth paved path named in his honor runs along a former railway line, passing through vineyards and forests. A notable stop along the route is Créon — well-known among cyclists for the burgers served up at La Barakavelo — our last stop before turning homeward.

The village of La Sauve invites visitors to explore the ruins of its Romanesque abbey.