Sorèze, a village at the foot of the Montagne Noire
Fifteen minutes from the loft, Sorèze lines up an abbey school founded in 754, a tapestry museum and medieval lanes at the foot of the Montagne Noire.
The abbey school
The Benedictine abbey was founded in 754. Its fame comes from the school that opened there in the 17th century, a Royal Military School under Louis XVI, which took pupils from all over the world until it closed in 1991. The courtyards, the hall of famous alumni and the dormitories are open to visitors.
The Dom Robert museum of 20th-century tapestry
Opened in 2015 inside the abbey school, across 1,500 m², it shows the work of Dom Robert, a monk and painter whose Aubusson tapestries celebrate the plants and animals of the Montagne Noire.
The village
The medieval lanes, a stop on the Arles route to Santiago de Compostela, keep their half-timbered houses. The Saint-Martin bell tower, the only remnant of a church destroyed during the Wars of Religion, gives a 360-degree view over the Lauragais plain and the Montagne Noire.
Opening hours
The abbey school and museum open April to September from 10am to 12:30pm and 2pm to 6pm, October to March from 2pm to 5:30pm, closed on Tuesdays outside July and August. Check before you go: hours change with the seasons.
Frequently asked questions
How far from the loft?
15 minutes by car, 10 kilometres.
How long should I allow?
Half a day for the abbey school and the museum, an hour more for the village and the bell tower.
Sleep next door
The Industrial Lodge, an 85 m² loft for five in the hamlet of Dreuilhe. Booked direct, 10% less than on the platforms.
€63a nightwhen booking here€70 on the platforms
See also
Your host: Florian