Abbey of Saint-Gilles

The Abbey of Saint-Gilles (Abbaye de Saint-Gilles) is one of the most significant Romanesque sanctuaries in southern France, standing in the small town of Saint-Gilles in the Gard department, a short drive from Arles.

How did the abbey come to be?

A Benedictine monastery already existed on this site in the 10th century. It grew in importance thanks to the relics of Saint Gilles (Aegidius), a hermit whose cult drew pilgrims from across Europe. During the Middle Ages, the pilgrimage to Saint-Gilles ranked among the four most important routes in Christendom, alongside Santiago de Compostela, Rome, and Jerusalem. As the sanctuary's fame grew, the monks decided in the 12th century to build a new, monumental church intended to rival the greatest structures of the age.

What can you see today?

The former monastic church was built on an imposing scale - roughly 95 metres long and up to 44 metres wide across the transept, with a choir surrounded by an ambulatory and radiating chapels. Only part of the original building survives today, but what remains is enough to grasp the scale the medieval builders had in mind.

The main draw is the west façade, one of the finest examples of Romanesque sculpture in France. Three large, richly carved portals depict scenes from the life of Christ, and a wide frieze is devoted to the Passion. A restoration completed in 2017-2018 brought the stonework back to life and uncovered traces of the original polychromy - proof that the medieval façade was once full of colour rather than bare stone.

Just as remarkable is the so-called "vis de Saint-Gilles", a spiral stone staircase regarded as a masterpiece of medieval stereotomy, the art of cutting stone into complex geometric shapes. Each step is carved along multiple planes and fitted together with extraordinary precision - builders and architects from across Europe once travelled here specifically to study it.

How to get there and when to visit?

Saint-Gilles sits in the Gard department, close to Arles and Nîmes, and is well connected by road to the rest of Provence. The abbey was included in France's very first official list of historic monuments in 1840 and can be visited year-round. Spring and autumn are the best times to come, when temperatures are milder than the Provençal summer and smaller crowds make it easier to study the façade's details and explore the crypt.

Frequently asked questions

Is the abbey still an active church? The former monastic church was largely destroyed over the following centuries, mainly during the wars of religion. The surviving section, including the façade and crypt, now functions as a historic monument and place of worship open to visitors.

Why is the façade so important in art history? It is one of the best-preserved examples of Romanesque sculpture in France - the three portals, with their rich Christological iconography and Passion frieze, served as a model for other religious buildings across the region.

What exactly is the "vis de Saint-Gilles"? It's a spiral stone staircase built from precisely cut stones joined along multiple intersecting planes. It is considered one of the most refined achievements of medieval stonemasonry.

Is it worth combining the visit with other sights in the region? Yes - Saint-Gilles is close to Arles, Nîmes, and the Camargue, making it easy to plan a day trip that takes in several highlights of the Gard and Provence.