Pierre-qui-Vire Abbey (Abbaye Sainte-Marie de la Pierre-qui-Vire)
A living Benedictine monastery deep in the Morvan forest, beside a legendary rocking stone.
- Abbey or church
- 1 h 09 from Beaune
- Allow 1 hour
- Saint-Léger-Vauban
€250one way from Beaune with a private driver
At a glance
- Official website
- apqv.fr
Getting there
Private driver from Beaune: 1 h 09 by road (91 km), €250 one way for the whole car.
Coming by train or plane? Transfers from stations and airports →
About the place
The Abbaye de la Pierre-qui-Vire lies in a wild, wooded valley of the northern Morvan, beside the rocky torrent of the Trinquelin. A community of Benedictine monks has lived and prayed here since 1850. Visitors can attend services, walk to the famous stone and browse a shop of books and monastic products.
What you will see
The name means the stone that turns. A large rock rests on another, and it is said that it could once be rocked by hand. It is now fixed in place and topped by a statue of the Virgin. In the reception building, a bookshop sells works of faith, monastic crafts and the farm's cheeses. Visitors are welcome at services in the church.
History
Father Jean-Baptiste Muard, a priest of the diocese of Sens, discovered the Rule of Saint Benedict on a journey to Subiaco in Italy. He founded the community in 1850, on land given by the Chastellux family, at a place called La Pierre-qui-Vire. Muard died in 1854. Laws against religious congregations sent the monks into exile in 1880 and 1903, and they only returned for good in 1921.
The monks built their monastery between 1850 and 1953, and the church, consecrated in 1871, was deeply remodelled in 1992. From 1951 the abbey was known for the Zodiaque books on Romanesque art, printed on site until the early 2000s. In 1938 the monks bought a nearby farm. Since the late 1980s a farming couple has run it, and most of its milk is made into cheese and yoghurt.
Planning your visit
Tips for your visit
Allow about an hour, more if you attend a service or walk in the forest. The abbey is about 1 hour 45 minutes from Beaune. It is a working monastery, so dress modestly and keep your voice low. The abbey announced traffic disruption near the monastery in autumn 2026. Please check the official website for opening times and service times.
Around here
What to combine with Pierre-qui-Vire Abbey on the same day, nearest first.
Questions
Pierre-qui-Vire Abbey is about 1 h 09 from Beaune by road (91 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €250 for the whole car, up to 4 guests.
Did you know? In 1969 the abbey farm switched to organic farming, after chemical fertilisers had harmed its herd. According to the monks, it was the first farm in Burgundy to do so.
Sources
Pierre-qui-Vire Abbey with a private driver
€250 one way from Beaune · up to 4 guests