le prieure de serrabone

Very quiet place with unique atmosphere, rather big parc and super panorama. A place to visit in the region while your stay.

A tortuous climb to reach it,but a lovely situation and an interesting and not too large ecclesiastical building to inspect. Restoration work continues but they have already reassembled a beautifully carved stone screen which justifies a visit on its own. There is a small herb garden,a newly planted olive grove and a rather pathetic effort at a spring. The bonus is a modest grassed area under the shade of old trees with a couple of picnic tables for visitors to use. Enjoy the mountain air and the tranquillity of the setting while you uncork the local wine and eat your ham and cheese for a little bit of heaven.

This would be an amazing building site in the 21st century, but 800 years ago, absolutely spectacular! How did they bring the materials up - it's not over the top bling as so many catholic sites are, but a beautiful rendition of devotion in local materials. The carving is excellent, and in the interior, well preserved - the dedication of artisans to its creation is superb.Lovely, quiet place, with interesting gardens, some good walks (we wish we'd had time) and very open to people taking photos, even though they were selling some nice postcards.Worth spending a reasonable part of the day.

Hidden gem in the Pyrenees Orientales, historic Priory which is still in pretty good shape. Lots of decorative details, fantastic gardens and very impressive views of the surrounding mountains and forests.

This small priory is up a very long, narrow, windy road, but worth the trip. The stonework inside the church is unparalleled. The views are also spectacular. You can refuel in the little cafe at the foot of the hill (good chèvre or rillete tartines and organic fruit juices).

We drove from Perpignan. It was a wonderful day trip. It's a nice peaceful place to have a picnic. Make sure the driver is accustomed to mountain driving.

For those whoare looking for the amazing views I would recommend Forca Real which is not far away from the Abbey. The Abbey itself is no different from many others with easier access. The road is narrow and steep, and a bit boring. I was unfortunate enough to get a flat tire because of nails on this road, so watch out.

The drive through the mountainous range to reach the Priory is quite demanding, and it can be a serious problem for people who are not comfortable with altitude driving. Once there, the visit can be done in an hour, the building being quite small. Do not miss the garden and its collection of olive trees, from where you'll have a breathtaking view of the Priory with the mountain range in the background.

The sign on the N116 states ‘Access 25mn’ and that is precisely the time it took us to follow the windy road up to the priory car park. The walk from the car park takes another 5 minutes or so.The priory is yet another religious buillding in the area that was located some distance from the main valley road and in times past it would have been a long hard slog to reach on foot, or even horseback. The road itself is an adventure in driving with countless sharp bends as the road rises to the priory but it does provide superb vistas of the thickly wooded hillsides.The priory – or rather the first church on the site – dates from 1069 with alterations and additions over the following centuries. The priory you see today is the result of restoration work undertaken between 1906 and 1922 and since 1968 the priory has been in the ownership of the regional authority. What makes Serrabona so special is the three-arched tribune in the chapel. This is made from rose marble and has been intrically carved with religious symbols. Definitely worth seeing as it is so different from anything else.Incidentally, the surrounding gardens are well laid out and maintained with most of the plants labelled so it is a bit like a mini-botanical garden and would be a delightful place to relax in warm weather.The priory is signed from the N116 between Ille-sur-Tet and Vinca travelling west from Perpignan.

Fairly long winding track up from the main road but well worth it and half-way up there's a lovely little roadside cafe with excellent foods and gifts. the priory is fascinating, so peaceful with some beautiful planting outside, would also be a lovely spot for a picnic. If you are into Knights Templar etc. this is a must see

Le cadre est déjà exceptionnel dans le massif des Aspres sur les contreforts du massif du Canigou (l'emblème des Pyrénées-Orientales). L'élise, dont l'origine date du XIème siècle est réputée pour sa fabuleuse tribune de marbre rose dont il faut regarder avec attention chaque colonnade. Le cloitre jouxtant l'église a des beaux chapiteaux.Vraiment si vous êtes dans la région, faites le détour !

Ce prieuré est riche d'histoire ainsi que le site.Mais le vrai trésor se trouve a l'intérieur avec cette décoration haute en symbolisme. Les amateurs et connaisseurs ne seront pas déçu par ce qu'ils découvriront en arrivant. Prenez le temps de bien regarder chaque colonne et vous verrez que rien a été fait au hasard. Regardez aussi la vraie entrée sur le côté.Faites le tour!

on découvre dans ce prieuré une tribune soutenue par des colonnes sculptées en marbre rose trés originales je crois uniques en Europe

un monument splendide dans un cadre isolé magnifique, qui nous mets en empathie avec les visiteurs des siècles passés

Un endroit à découvrir, un monument très bien conservé. Le jardin méditerranéen est très bien entretenu, visite à la découvert de senteurs oubliées. Un lieu calme et paisible...