Reach Out to Our Honorary Secretariat
The ASSOCIATION POUR LA RESTAURATION ET L'ANIMATION CULTURELLE DE L'ABBAYE maintains its administrative seat at the historic Presbytery. As a registered public interest association (Association Loi 1901, RNA W284000839), our officers and secretariat respond to all public communications with transparency and dedication.
Send an Inquiry to the Secretariat
Please complete the form below. For research appointments, school bookings, or general questions, our team will respond within 2 business days.
Headquarters & Direct Lines
Official Association Registered Seat
ASSOCIATION POUR LA RESTAURATION ET L'ANIMATION CULTURELLE DE L'ABBAYE
PRESBYTERE, 14 RUE DE L'ABBAYE
28480 THIRON-GARDAIS
FRANCE
RNA Identification: W284000839 • SIREN: 494079718
Prefecture of Registration: Eure-et-Loir (Chartres)
Secretariat Telephony & Electronic Mail
Telephone Line: +33 3 27 48 50 20
Telephone desk open Tuesday to Saturday, 09:30 – 12:30 & 14:00 – 17:30.
Official Inquiries Email: thykeksihwo@gmail.com
Visiting & Consultation Hours
- Abbey Romanesque Nave: Open Daily, 09:00 – 18:00 (Free Admission)
- Monastic Gardens & Orchard: Open Daily, Dawn to Dusk (Free Admission)
- Presbytery Research Library: Thursdays & Saturdays, 14:00 – 17:00 (By Appointment)
- Volunteer Orientation Sessions: 1st Saturday of each month at 09:30
Getting to Thiron-Gardais
The village of Thiron-Gardais is nestled in the scenic hills of the Perche in the southwest of the Eure-et-Loir department (Centre-Val de Loire region). Our facilities are fully accessible by road, rail-bus combinations, and bicycle itineraries.
By Automobile
From Paris: Take the A11 Océane motorway toward Le Mans/Nantes, take Exit 4 (Luigny/Châteaudun/Nogent-le-Rotrou), then follow D922 toward Thiron-Gardais (approx. 1h30). Free public parking is located 100 meters from the Abbey entrance.
By Rail & Public Transit
Direct TER train from Paris Montparnasse station to Nogent-le-Rotrou (1h35 duration). Regional Rémi bus Line 113 or associative volunteer carpools connect Nogent-le-Rotrou station directly to Thiron-Gardais in 15 minutes.
Bicycle & Greenways
Thiron-Gardais is situated along the scenic cycling loops of the Parc Naturel Régional du Perche. Secure bicycle racks, a public repair station, and electric bike charging points are available near the Presbytery courtyard.
Persons with Reduced Mobility (PRM) Accessibility
The Romanesque nave, cloister courtyard, and presbytery reception hall are fully equipped with level access ramps and compliant doorway widths. Accessible parking spaces are reserved immediately in front of the presbytery gate. Wheelchairs are available upon advance notice to the secretariat.
Group Reservations & Academic Inquiries
Educational & School Group Bookings
School visits from regional primary and secondary schools are accommodated completely free of charge. In order to ensure optimal docent attention and child safety, we limit school groups to a maximum of 35 students per session.
Bus drop-off bays are designated on Place de l'Abbaye directly opposite the main Romanesque portal. In inclement weather, visiting school classes are provided shelter inside the historic vaulted Tithe Barn for lunch pauses and educational drawing workshops.
Academic Archival Consultation Appointments
Scholars, university researchers, and genealogists investigating the Order of Tiron may consult physical cartulary transcriptions, architectural survey blueprints, and photographic records in the Presbytery Library.
Appointments must be submitted at least one week in advance through our contact form. Please indicate your institutional affiliation, academic topic, and specific record call numbers. Our volunteer librarian prepares dossiers in advance to optimize your research time.
Media Relations, Photography & Drone Regulations
Journalists, documentary filmmakers, and cultural broadcasters preparing non-commercial features on French Romanesque heritage or Perche rural revitalization are welcome at the Abbey. Commercial advertising shoots are strictly prohibited on site.
Please note that as a designated Monument Historique, unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) overflights of the Abbey complex and adjacent gardens require strict authorization from the Prefecture of Eure-et-Loir and the DRAC Centre-Val de Loire, in addition to clearance from the association board. Unauthorized drone operations are strictly prohibited to safeguard historic slate roofs and nesting barn owl colonies.
Institutional Alliances & Regional Hospitality
The association maintains collaborative non-commercial relationships with local civic authorities and heritage trusts across the Perche region. We collaborate closely with the Municipal Council of Thiron-Gardais, the Communauté de Communes du Perche, the Conseil Départemental d'Eure-et-Loir, the Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs (DRAC Centre-Val de Loire), the Fondation du Patrimoine, and the Fédération Française des Amis de Vieilles Maisons Françaises.
For visitors and academic researchers staying overnight in the area, the village of Thiron-Gardais and neighboring hamlets offer tranquil, eco-certified bed and breakfasts (chambres d'hôtes), municipal rural gîtes, and farm stays situated within traditional Percheron stonework farmhouses. Local bakeries and country inns prioritize organic produce from surrounding Perche orchards and pastures.
Our volunteer welcome desk provides free maps of local hiking trails (including the GR 22 Paris – Mont-Saint-Michel pilgrimage route passing directly beside our Abbey), historical guidebooks, and seasonal event schedules published by the Office de Tourisme du Perche. We are proud to welcome travelers from around the world to discover the timeless serenity of our countryside.
Postal Mail & Heritage Philanthropy Inquiries
For formal legal notifications, official administrative notices from ministerial departments, or inquiries regarding estate bequests (legs, donations, et assurances-vie) dedicated to the preservation of the Abbey of Thiron-Gardais, correspondence must be addressed by registered mail with acknowledgment of receipt (Lettre Recommandée avec Accusé de Réception) to:
Monsieur le Président de l'Association
Association pour la Restauration et l'Animation Culturelle de l'Abbaye
Presbytère, 14 Rue de l'Abbaye, 28480 Thiron-Gardais, France
In accordance with French fiscal law (Articles 200 and 238 bis of the Code Général des Impôts), donations and bequests made to registered public heritage non-profit associations benefit from substantial tax deductions (up to 66% for individuals and 60% for corporate entities). Our honorary treasurer is available to provide certified fiscal receipts (Cerfa n° 11580*05) for all civic benefactors.
Support the Abbey of Thiron-Gardais
Submit an inquiry via our form above, or join us in the field as an active volunteer guardian.