Hidden away in a verdant valley, Le Thoronet abbey offers the visitor a strikingly realistic vision of what a Cistercian monastery must have looked like in the Middle Ages. Certain buildings linked to the daily lives of the White Friars - a monumental gatehouse and the ruins of a guesthouse, along with courtyards and walled gardens - still remain within the monastic wall enclosure. Situated in the centre of this “city”, both the highly refined church and austerely elegant cloister are recognized architectural masterpieces.