Thoronet Abbey is located among oak trees in a wild and remote site between a river and a spring that fits right in with the austere rule of St. Benoît. The abbey affords a moment of serenity to those who come for a visit. It is the oldest of the three Cistercian abbeys in Provence (the other two are Sénanque and Silvacane). The beauty of the church and cloister and the imposing, perfectly preserved conventual buildings from the 12C make this one of the architectural gems of the Cistercian order.