La Sauve-Majeure

The Entre-Deux-Mers, the vastest vineyard of the Bordelais situated between rivers Garonne and Dordogne, owes its name to the fact that these two rivers, influenced by the Atlantic tides, have long been considered as two inland seas. La Sauve Majeure is close to Creon, in this part of the vineyard once called « Silva Major » (major forest), at 28 kilometres from Bordeaux.

L'Abbaye, fondée en 1079 par Saint-Géraud qui s'y installa avec 7 moines bénédictins, devint si puissante qu'elle établit des "succursales" jusqu'en Angleterre et en Espagne. Tout s'arrêta sous la Terreur. Les voûtes s'effondrèrent au début du XIXe siècle. The Grande-Sauve Abbey and Saint-Peter's Church were renowned halts on the way to Compostelle. Both overlook the village from each side of a glen. The Abbey, founded in 1079 by Saint-Geraud who settled there with two benedict monks, became so powerful that priories were established as far as in England or Spain. During the Terror, all activities ceased. In the beginning of the 19th century, the vaults tumbled down.

Part of the monastery, remnants of the 13th century cloister and the bell-tower (157 steps lead to a wide view over the region) and a fabulous range of sculpted capitals telling the religious history make up the unique richness of the Abbey, listed as UNESCO's world heritage (as of roads to Saint-Jacques de Compostelle) in 1998.

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