Jouarre brings together early medieval landmarks, the history of an abbey and a strong Brie tradition. The Merovingian crypts, the Briard Museum and Fromagerie Ganot each offer a different perspective. You can shape your stay around what you most want to discover: historic architecture, rural culture or cheese.
Crypts and Abbey History
The Merovingian crypts of Jouarre date from the 7th century AD and are among the oldest in Europe. They contain the tombs of the founding family of Notre Dame de Jouarre Abbey. Here, a direct connection to the abbey’s founding history meets a significant example of early medieval architecture.
The structure itself is described in remarkable detail: the Merovingian sculpture rests on two rows, each with three Gallo-Roman columns. They are topped with Merovingian capitals made of white marble. This arrangement allows you to distinguish different architectural elements and periods, rather than identifying the crypts only by their age.
Another historic landmark is the Romanesque tower of Notre Dame de Jouarre Abbey. It served as a bell tower and was built in the 12th century. A themed tour inside the tower traces the history of the abbey and its community, as well as the nuns’ life today. By contrast, the present-day abbey church dates from the 1860s. The church also retains three stained-glass windows from the 16th century. Together, these architectural and artistic features illustrate different periods without belonging to a single building phase.
Rural Life in Brie
The Briard Museum focuses on material evidence of rural life among the farming communities of Brie. Its collection includes various objects from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. Anyone interested in everyday life and agricultural history will find a different way of exploring the past here than in the crypts: the focus is not on tombs and abbey architecture, but on objects from rural life. The three centuries represented give the collection a broad historical span.
Brie Cheese and Regional Perspectives
Cheesemaking traditions take centre stage at Fromagerie Ganot. It offers guided tours where you can discover the secrets of Brie cheese. Coulommiers, Brie de Meaux AOP and Brie de Melun AOP mature in its cellars. The range also includes organic farm-made Brie produced in collaboration with Ferme Ste-Colombe. A guided tour introduces you to the cheese-making focus, while the varieties listed reveal the diversity of maturation and production. If a visit is important to your plans, check available dates in advance.
The landscape offers another point of interest: from the heights of Jouarre, you can enjoy panoramic views over the Petit Morin valley. The route “Jouarre and its Cheeses” also highlights the area’s culinary appeal. The cheese theme and the views can therefore be enjoyed as different aspects of the destination, without combining them into a single route or set itinerary.
What to Consider When Choosing Your Stay
The crypts and Romanesque tower lend themselves to a focus on abbey history and architecture; the Briard Museum adds a rural-cultural perspective. Fromagerie Ganot offers a specific culinary highlight, while the view over the Petit Morin valley reveals the surrounding landscape. So consider which of these interests you want to shape your stay before looking for a hotel. The places and themes offer different starting points, without requiring you to follow a fully set daily itinerary.
Discover more destinations: Grez-sur-Loing, Vulaines-sur-Seine, Lizines, Provins, Châtenay-Sur-Seine, Magny-Le-Hongre, Salins, Bougligny.
For the broader travel overview: Seine-Et-Marne.
