Abbaye De Valloires

The splendid park is the main draw, with loads of different plants and colours. The abbey is superb and well maintained, and the guided tour is nice. The entrance price is a little steep, so allow a whole day. There's a restaurant with nice food, and you can ask for a picnic hamper or bring your own. There's plenty to see in the area while on holiday.

The gardens were the better part of the visit for me. The building is beautiful, but the guided group was too large for everyone to fit in the large salon, and the heat had us flagging by the end. The guide did her best and knew her subject, though we often struggled to hear her. There’s no religious life here now, as the monks left long ago. The site is used for children with nowhere else to go, and there's also an old people's home.

The gardens were lovely when we visited in July, and the plant varieties should be good from early March onward. The abbey tour is well done, but it’s only in French, lasts over an hour, and covers just four rooms. It may not suit anyone whose French is weak.

The staff are very friendly, and the guide is extremely knowledgeable and worth the fee. Be sure to see the picturesque grounds. The Abbey is a must-do experience, with beautiful wooden floors, striking roofs, a lovely courtyard, high ceilings, well-kept gardens, and a long, proud history. The rooms in the section now hired out as a “hotel” are basic but usable, and the shared toilet room was perfectly usable too. Staying here is an experience, surrounded by history inside and out, including in the local area like the Somme. The local church still has bullet holes in its walls from WW1 fighting.