Built in 1049 on a rocky spur between Morges and Yverdon-les-Bains, La Sarraz Castle dominates the Vaudois countryside. Now a museum, it includes a collection of valuable objects acquired over the centuries by the generations of La Sarraz barons.
From its construction until it was turned into a museum, La Sarraz Castle has always belonged to the barons of La Sarraz, unlike the majority of castles that pass from hand to hand. The fact that it still looks like a family home, decorated with furniture and works of art acquired over centuries, makes it a fascinating place to visit.
The interior expresses the ambiance and taste of generations of a patrician family. Precious furniture, silverware and rare china testify to a sophisticated dining style. These historic rooms can be rented for receptions, celebrations, balls and weddings.In 1982, equestrian enthusiasts opened the Musée du Cheval in this historic setting. The collection includes Napoleon 1st’s saddles, the Grimsel mail coach and sculptures of horses, along with a presentation of the work of the farrier or veterinarian.
References:Saint-Georges de Boscherville Abbey is a former Benedictine abbey. It was founded in about 1113 by Guillaume de Tancarville on the site of an earlier establishment of secular canons and settled by monks from the Abbey of Saint-Evroul. The abbey church made of Caumont stone was erected from 1113 to 1140. The Norman builders aimed to have very well-lit naves and they did this by means of tall, large windows, initially made possible by a wooden ceiling, which prevented uplift, although this was replaced by a Gothic vault in the 13th century. The chapter room was built after the abbey church and dates from the last quarter of the 12th century.
The arrival of the Maurist monks in 1659, after the disasters of the Wars of Religion, helped to get the abbey back on a firmer spiritual, architectural and economic footing. They erected a large monastic building one wing of which fitted tightly around the chapter house (which was otherwise left as it was).