Orval Abbey

What it is

Orval Abbey is in Villers-devant-Orval, in the municipality of Florenville, in the Ardennes and Gaume forest, one kilometre from the French border. It was founded in 1070 by Benedictines from Calabria and in 1131 passed to the Cistercian order. French revolutionary troops sacked it and on 23 June 1793 it burned; the monks were dispersed. In 1926 monks from Sept-Fons arrived and built it again beside the ruins, to a design by the architect Henry Vaes; the church was consecrated on 8 September 1948.

Today Trappist monks live there, who have made cheese since the end of the 1920s and beer since 1935. Its name comes from a legend: Countess Matilda of Tuscany is said to have lost her ring in a spring and to have recovered it miraculously, hence Aureavallis, the valley of gold, and the ring emerging from the water on the abbey's coat of arms.

What you can visit

You can visit the ruins of the medieval abbey and the visitor areas; the new abbey, where the monks live, and the brewery are not open to visitors.

• The Cistercian ruins, with a circuit that explains each monastic space.
• Matilda's spring, in the valley, the one from the legend of the ring.
• The welcome house, with a video of about 10 minutes on the history of the monastery and the present community, and animated models of the abbey through the centuries.
• The museum of religious art, in the eighteenth-century cellars.
• The medicinal plant garden, with objects from the monastery's old pharmacy.
• The shop, with the abbey's beer and cheese, books and souvenirs.

Allow about two hours.

Opening hours

The ruins, museum and shop are open:

• November to February: 10:30 to 17:30.
• March to May and in October: 9:30 to 18:00.
• June to September: 9:30 to 18:30.

The website does not publish closing days: check beforehand if you are going on public holidays.

Tickets

• Adults: €8.
• Seniors and students: €6.
• Children aged 7 to 14: €3.
• People with reduced mobility or a disability: €3.
• Annual pass: €25.

Tickets are also sold online on the abbey's website: they are not dated, so you come on the day you like, but they are not refundable. The last entry is one hour before closing. In July and August there are guided tours every afternoon, and in September on Sunday afternoons, lasting an hour and only in French and Dutch.

Getting there

The address is Orval 1, 6823 Villers-devant-Orval. By car, from Brussels take the E411 towards Arlon, exit 26 towards Neufchâteau and then Florenville; Orval is 8 km from Florenville in the direction of Virton. From Luxembourg, take exit 29 of the E411 towards Etalle, continue towards Florenville and at Jamoigne turn left towards Orval.

Without a car: train to Libramont, connection to Florenville and from there TEC bus 24, direction Virton, to the Orval carrefour stop.

Eating and drinking

Opposite the abbey is À l'Ange Gardien, the Orval tavern: it serves the Trappist beer and cheese and is the only place that has Orval Vert on draught. The kitchen has lunch and dinner hours, closes one day a week and in January opens to groups only.

With children

The open-air ruins, the legend of the ring at the spring and the animated models work well with children. Under-7s have no published rate; ask at the ticket office.