Mortemer Abbey

Normandie · France · Monastery

On full-moon nights the Empress Matilda appears in the abbey ruins — her gloves reveal whether she brings fortune or death.

Mortemer Abbey, a Cistercian monastery founded in 1134 in the forest near Lisors in Normandy, is often called the most haunted abbey in France. Matilda — daughter of King Henry I and Holy Roman Empress — was confined here for several years on her father's orders, and legend says she returns as a white lady on every night of the full moon. If she wears white gloves she heralds a wedding or a birth; if black, death speaks through her. Caretakers and visitors have reported whispers and figures among the ruins, which today house a small ghost museum and night tours.

FAQ

Where is Mortemer Abbey located?

Mortemer Abbey is in Normandie, France.