The Saint-Nicolas Abbey in Saint-Leu-d'Esserent

The Saint-Nicolas abbatiale church, located in Saint-Leu-d'Esserent, only 10 minutes from the Castle of Chantilly and 15 minutes from Senlis Cathedral and Royaumont Abbey, is an amazing and impressive monument, a symbol of the transition period between Romanesque and Gothic architecture.

Overlooking the Oise Valley, this abbatiale church, which is not really an abbatiale, is as huge as a cathedral.

A Cluniac jewel

An abbatiale church with the dimensions of a Cathedral

Impossible to miss, perched on its promontory of local limestone, the abbatiale church of Saint-Nicolas in Saint-Leu-d'Esserent overlooks the Oise valley, visible from miles around. Why not take the time to visit it?

As soon as you step on the cobblestones of its forecourt, the Abbatiale Church of Saint Nicholas appears in all its magnitude, its colossal dimensions are closer to those of a Cathedral.

From Romanesque to Gothic

The façade reveals the incipient mastery of the cross-arches present on the upper levels, thus marking the transition from Romanesque to Gothic art. We can admire the suprising narthex, a kind of closed porch preceding the portal, which is a particularity of the Cluniac churchesrichly decorated with sublime sculptures of gargoyles and other fantastic beast.

Inside, its dimensions are even more impressive and does not leave one indifferent: the discrepancy between the level of the portal and that of the rose window stands out, most certainly due to the adaptation of the Abbey Church's construction plans to those of an older parish church.

At dawn, during summer, the sun floods the nave with a golden light,revealing the genius of the builders who cut out large openings and that of the stained-glass masters who filled them with the colours of the territory's DNA: the stone.

An abbatiale church that isn't one!

Did you know that in reality, _Abbatiale church of Saint-Leu-d'Esserent is not really one?

Paths, cellars, underground passageways, medieval facades... The city centre of Saint-Leu-d'Esserent is full of medieval treasures and landmarks.

The medieval quarter

On our way to the Abbatiale Church of Saint Nicholas, the narrow streets and alleys immerse us in a medieval atmosphere with the remains of the Cluniac Priory surrounding the church and the Banvin Cellar below, once used by monks to store their wine casks.

The Priory

The city of Priorynow privately owned, contains underground passageways that can only be visited during European Heritage Days. From the street, you can see an imposing fortified gateway topped with battlements.

The Banvin Cellar

The Banvin Cellaris composed of a vaulted hall and underground passageways. Like the former priory, you can only visite it during the European Heritage Days or special visits..

Visit the Abbatiale with your group

Accompanied by a guide, you can discover the Abbatiale Church with your group. Leaf through our Groups Brochure!

Rarely open to the public

Guided tour

Follow one of the guided tours organised by the Tourist Office regularly to find out more about the architecture of the abbatiale church and the secrets of the monks' life who used to live there under the strict rule of Saint-Benoît, or the history of the Dammartin family, the previous lords of the lands of Saint-Leu-d'Esserent.

Self-guided tour

Apart from visits, the Abbatiale Church of Saint-Nicolas is open on Sunday afternoons from May to the end of September.You are thus able to visit on your own this Cluniac church, which is rarely open to the public. Learn more about this monument thanks to the informative panels all around the church. During the rest of the year and during the week, you can look inside through a glazed airlock and the Abbey garden offers a bucolic break next to the building (8am-6pm).

Complete your visit!

Update 2024:

The Musée de la Guesdière is currently undergoing renovation work.

To complete your visityou can visit La Guesdière Museumwhich is located below the Abbey Church, opposite the Town Hall. Thehistory of the city The history of Saint-Leu-d'Esserent is demonstrated through objects and sculptures that were found during excavations and that bear witness to the wealth of Saint-Leu-d'Esserent.

European Federation of Cluniac Sites

TheAbbatiale church of St. Nicholas is listed by the European Federation of Cluniac Sites whose aim is to bring together the places that contributed to the development of the Cluny Order from the Abbey of Cluny in Burgundy to its European influence.  

The Federation promotes these sites and offers enriched tours, for example with 3D applications.