Silvacane Abbey, Cistercian abbey in La Roque-d'Anthéron, France

Silvacane Abbey is a Cistercian monastery in La Roque-d'Anthéron featuring clean architectural lines and stone pointed vaults throughout its interior. The building displays the plain, ordered style typical of Cistercian design from the 12th century.

The monastery was founded in 1144 by monks from Morimond Abbey and took its name from the reed forest surrounding the area between the Luberon and Côtes mountains. This establishment became part of the Cistercian expansion across the region.

The name comes from Latin silva cannorum, the reed forest along the Durance where the monks settled. Since religious life ended, the church and convent buildings have hosted the Piano Festival de La Roque-d'Anthéron, the Silvacane Festival of Vocal Music and the Festival International de Quatuors à Cordes du Luberon.

Plan time to explore the church, cloister, and monastic buildings throughout the grounds. Early morning or early afternoon visits tend to be quieter, allowing you to walk through the spaces at your own pace.

The cloister's arcades originally held paired pointed openings with slender colonnettes and oculi above; these were destroyed, and only the north gallery has been reconstructed. The refectory, rebuilt in the late 13th century, is the most ornate building of the complex, in Rayonnant Gothic style.