Out in the midst of pastoral mustard fields, south of Dijon and 13km east of Nuits-St-Georges, this original abbey of the Cistercian monks was founded in 1098. Nowadays you can visit the monastery on a 1½-hour guided tour in French, with printed English commentary. Tours depart hourly, and reservations are essential; phone or e-mail ahead. There's also an audiovisual presentation on monastic life, available with or without the tour.
In contrast to the showy Benedictines of Cluny, the medieval Cistercian order was known for its austerity, discipline and humility, and for the productive manual labour of its monks, one result of which was groundbreaking wine-producing techniques. The abbey enjoyed phenomenal growth in the 12th century under St Bernard (1090–1153), and some 600 Cistercian abbeys soon stretched from Scandinavia to the Near East. Cîteaux was virtually destroyed during the Revolution and the monks didn't return until 1898, but today it is home to about 35 monks.
Visitors may attend daily prayers and Sunday Mass (10.30am). The boutique sells edibles made at monasteries around France, including the abbey's own cheese.
