Stay 
Touchebœuf Cistercian grange, Lailly
approx. 1 km
A Cistercian barn at Lailly that belonged to the farming estate of Vauluisant Abbey; it has been listed as a historic monument since 1994.
Photo: Robin Chubret, CC BY-SA 4.0
Domaine de Vauluisant: a group gîte named after a Cistercian abbey
The Domaine de Vauluisant in Courgenay, in the Yonne department of Burgundy, is listed on Expedia as a gîte for 32 people. It shares its name with the Cistercian abbey of Vauluisant, founded in 1127 by monks from Preuilly and visited several times by Francis I. The abbey remains are privately owned today, and the countryside around them, with its forests, megaliths and Cistercian barns, lies between Sens, Provins and Troyes.
At a glance
- Location
- Courgenay, Yonne department, northern Burgundy; Sens is about 20 km away as the crow flies
- Accommodation
- Gîte (self-catering holiday let) for 32 people with five bathrooms; the listing mentions rooms with fireplaces, chandeliers and traditional furnishings
- Highlights
- Wi-Fi in all rooms, laundry with tumble dryer, five bathrooms with bidets, central heating, a setting near a Cistercian abbey and the Forêt de Vauluisant
- Guest rating
- 10/10 from 11 reviews on Expedia (as of 14 Oct 2026)
- Check-in & check-out
- Check-in from 2 pm · check-out at 2 pm
- Good to know
- No pets · smoking only in designated areas · Sens station about 27 minutes by car
Staying at the Domaine de Vauluisant: a gîte for large groups in Burgundy
The Domaine de Vauluisant is listed on Expedia as a “gîte for 32 people in Burgundy”: a self-catering holiday let designed for a large family or group rather than a hotel room. The listing mentions bedrooms with fireplaces, chandeliers, framed portraits and traditional furniture, as well as five bathrooms with a bath or shower and bidets.
Practical comforts include Wi-Fi in all rooms, internet access in some public areas, a laundry with a tumble dryer, an iron and ironing board, bed linen, towels, a hairdryer, toilet paper and central heating. Smoking is allowed only in designated areas.
The name points to the former Cistercian abbey of Vauluisant, which Wikipedia places near Courgenay, and the listing’s coordinates fall in the same area. Expedia does not spell out how the gîte relates to the abbey, so this page treats the abbey as the historical backdrop. Restaurants are 6 to 14 minutes away by car, and Sens station is about 27 minutes away.
Photos of Domaine de Vauluisant
The history of Vauluisant Abbey
- 1127 – Cistercian monks from Preuilly, on the advice of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, settle between the forests of Othe and Lancy and name the place “Val luisant”, Vauluisant.
- 1144 – The first abbey church is consecrated; a new church follows at the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries.
- 16th century – Renaissance buildings, a park, a dovecote, a mill, a chapel and guest lodgings are added; Francis I stays here several times.
- 1562–1576 – Wars of Religion: troops partly destroy the church in 1562, followed by repeated pillaging between 1571 and 1576.
- 1636 – Cardinal Richelieu imposes monastic reform; reformed Cistercians renovate the abbey, which becomes a novitiate of the Strict Observance.
- 1790 – The monks are expelled during the Revolution and the abbey is partly demolished.
- 1835 – The former monastery is bought by a businessman who makes it a country residence and develops a large farm.
- 1930–1994 – Surviving buildings are protected as historic monuments in stages (1930, 1951 and 1994).
Founded by Cistercians from Preuilly, Vauluisant lay between Provins, Troyes and Sens, three cities where the monks kept town houses. For two centuries it was a place of fervour and the centre of an efficient farming estate with many granges, among them Touchebœuf.
After the Revolution the abbey became a demolition site and some of its pieces were scattered around the neighbourhood: a medieval tomb slab is kept in a barn, vault keystones are built into nearby farm walls, and the Entombment sculpted by the Master of Chaource is now in the church at Villeneuve-l’Archevêque. According to Wikipedia, the remains are privately owned today and a volunteer association opens them to visitors on Sunday afternoons from April to October; check the current arrangements before travelling.
Facilities at the Domaine de Vauluisant
The details below come from the Expedia listing (as of 14 Oct 2026); room arrangements may vary, so check the listing before booking.
Sleeping and bathrooms
- Gîte for 32 people
- Bed linen and towels provided
- Five bathrooms with bath or shower
- Bidets, hairdryer and toilet paper
- Central heating
Practical
- Wi-Fi in all rooms
- Internet access in some public areas
- Laundry and tumble dryer
- Iron and ironing board
Atmosphere
- Rooms with fireplaces and chandeliers
- Traditional furnishings and framed portraits
- Setting near a Cistercian abbey
House rules
- Pets not allowed
- Smoking only in designated areas
- Check-in from 2 pm, check-out at 2 pm
Where the Domaine de Vauluisant is: Courgenay, between Sens and Troyes
The domaine is at Courgenay in the north-east of the Yonne department, in Burgundy. The village of Courgenay lies about 2.5 km away, Villeneuve-l’Archevêque about 4 km and Sens about 20 km as the crow flies. Expedia gives a drive of about 27 minutes to Sens station.
The Forêt de Vauluisant, 2,400 hectares of mostly oak, lies a few kilometres to the north-west. It contains several megalithic monuments, including menhirs, dolmens and polishing stones, and parts of the forest are classified as ecological areas of interest.
Further afield, Sens and its cathedral, Nogent-sur-Seine with the Camille Claudel museum, Provins and Troyes are all within about 45 km. Expedia also mentions the Château de La Motte-Tilly and the McArthurGlen Troyes outlet mall among the nearby sights.
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Distances (as the crow flies from the Domaine de Vauluisant)
| Touchebœuf Cistercian grange (Lailly) | approx. 1 km |
| Courgenay (village) | approx. 2.5 km |
| Villeneuve-l’Archevêque | approx. 4 km |
| Forêt de Vauluisant | approx. 5.5 km |
| Lancy dolmen and menhir | approx. 7 km |
| Sens | approx. 20 km |
| Château de La Motte-Tilly | approx. 24 km |
| Nogent-sur-Seine | approx. 26 km |
| Provins | approx. 37 km |
| Troyes | approx. 40 km |
Distances are straight-line from the coordinates in the listing; the driving time to Sens station is taken from the Expedia listing.
Things to see around the Domaine de Vauluisant
Notre-Dame church, Villeneuve-l’Archevêque
approx. 4 km
Gothic church with a remarkable 13th-century north portal. It holds an Entombment of 1528 from Vauluisant Abbey, attributed to the Master of Chaource.
Photo: Charley ANDREWS, CC0
Sens Cathedral
approx. 20 km
One of the first Gothic cathedrals in Christendom: begun around 1130–1135, nave and choir consecrated in 1164, with a flamboyant transept built in 1490–1515.
Photo: Raimond Spekking, CC BY-SA 4.0
Château de La Motte-Tilly
approx. 24 km
An 18th-century château on the Seine in the Aube, fully protected as a historic monument. It replaced a medieval moated fortress, some of whose materials were reused.
Photo: A.D., CC BY-SA 3.0
Provins
approx. 37 km
Former capital of the Counts of Champagne, on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 13 December 2001, set about 77 km south-east of Paris.
Photo: Jean-Pol GRANDMONT, CC BY 4.0
Troyes
approx. 40 km
Prefecture of the Aube and former capital of the Counts of Champagne. Expedia also lists the McArthurGlen Troyes outlet mall among the sights nearby.
Photo: KBWEi, public domain
Tours & activities near Domaine de Vauluisant
Experiences in the region that you can book online with Viator:
Provins Medieval City & Fontainbleau Palace with hotel pick up
We leave Paris in the morning from your hotel and driving to Fontainebleau Palace. Capétiens, Valois, Bourbons, Bonaparte and Orléans, all members of …
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Private day trip from Paris to Provins and back, local driver
Escape the ordinary with our luxurious private day trip, where you'll have a dedicated driver for the day, a long-distance driver who ensures your …
View details ›
Saint Stephen Cathedral of Sens Audio Guide with Mobile Phone
Step inside Sens Cathedral and discover a building that quietly rewrote history. This self-guided audio tour turns a vast Gothic interior into a …
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Paris Le Marais Self Guided Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt
Royal squares, medieval mansions and revolutionary ghosts — the Marais packs more Paris per metre than anywhere else. This app-led scavenger hunt …
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History of Paris from Antiquity to the Middle Ages
Let yourself be guided through the explanations of a Lecturer Guide who will show you how Lutetia , a secondary city of the Roman Empire transformed …
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4-hour private tour Montmartre & Marais
This 4-hour private walking tour allows you to discover the two most typical and famous Parisian neighbourhoods : the Marais and Montmartre ! We show …
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Marais and Saint Paul Audio Guided Walking Tour
Walk across the heart of old Paris on your own schedule. This self-guided tour leads you from the Place de la Bastille through the Marais and …
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Guided tour of medieval Paris and the Templars
Explore medieval Paris on a two-hour guided tour, Newbie in Notre-Dame and continuing into the Templar district. Discover the legends, mysteries and …
View details ›Some descriptions are machine-translated.
Who is the Domaine de Vauluisant for?
Large families and reunions
A gîte for 32 people with five bathrooms is made for family gatherings and groups of friends who want to stay under one roof.
Cistercian heritage fans
The Vauluisant abbey story, the Touchebœuf grange and the Entombment in Villeneuve-l’Archevêque make a compact Cistercian trail.
Nature and megalith lovers
The Forêt de Vauluisant shelters menhirs, dolmens and polishing stones within a few kilometres.
Cathedral cities and shopping
Sens, Provins and Troyes offer cathedrals and medieval centres, and Expedia mentions the McArthurGlen Troyes outlet mall.
Good to know before booking the Domaine de Vauluisant
- Check-in is from 2 pm and check-out is at 2 pm, according to Expedia; confirm the exact times with the property.
- Pets are not allowed, and smoking is permitted only in designated areas.
- This is a gîte for large groups (32 people); read the listing for the room arrangement before booking.
- Expedia lists restaurants 6 to 14 minutes away by car, so a car is recommended.
- Sens station is about 27 minutes away by car.
- The abbey remains are private; opening times for visits can change, so check before you travel.
Find available dates at Domaine de Vauluisant
Frequently asked questions
Can you stay overnight at the Domaine de Vauluisant?
Yes. It is a gîte for 32 people in Courgenay, Yonne, bookable through Expedia. Check-in is from 2 pm, and check-out is at 2 pm.
How many people can stay?
The listing is titled as a gîte for 32 people and mentions five bathrooms.
Is the gîte part of Vauluisant Abbey?
The domaine shares its name with the former Cistercian abbey near Courgenay, but Expedia does not describe the link. The abbey itself, founded in 1127, is a separate historic site.
Are pets allowed?
No. According to Expedia, pets are not allowed.
How far is it to Sens?
Sens is about 20 km away as the crow flies, and Sens station is about 27 minutes by car according to Expedia.
What is there to see nearby?
The Touchebœuf grange is about 1 km away, the church of Villeneuve-l’Archevêque about 4 km, Sens Cathedral about 20 km, and Provins and Troyes are within about 45 km.
Room photos, guest reviews and available dates are all in the Domaine de Vauluisant listing on Expedia.
Planning a get-together in northern Burgundy? Check availability and current prices for the Domaine de Vauluisant on Expedia.
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