Fodor's Expert Review Abbaye aux Dames

Founded in 1060 by William the Conqueror's wife, Matilda, the Abbaye aux Dames was rebuilt in the 18th century; it then served as a hospital and nursing home before being fully restored in the 1980s by the Regional Council of Lower Normandy, which promptly requisitioned it for office space. The abbey’s elegant arcaded courtyard and ground-floor reception rooms can, however, still be admired during free guided tours. You can also visit the squat Église de la Trinité (Trinity Church), a fine example of 11th-century Romanesque architecture, though its original spires were replaced by timid balustrades in the early 18th century. Note the intricate carvings on columns and arches in the chapel; the 11th-century crypt; and, in the choir, the marble slab commemorating Queen Matilda, who was buried here in 1083.