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Sorde Abbey has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998 as part of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France. It is one of 78 monuments and sections of the route that bear witness to the spiritual and material aspects of this pilgrimage.
All properties inscribed on the World Heritage List are of outstanding value: their cultural and/or natural significance is so exceptional that it transcends national boundaries and their character is invaluable to present and future generations of all humanity. As such, the ongoing protection of this heritage is not only the responsibility of the State Party or the property manager, but of humanity as a whole.

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The Abbey of Sorde has been listed in its entirety as a historic monument since 2008.

Protection under historic monument status is a public utility easement. It is based on the heritage value of a property (buildings or parts of buildings, gardens, objects, archaeological remains, etc.), assessed in particular on the basis of its artistic quality, authenticity, integrity, rarity, exemplary nature and representativeness in relation to a corpus or type. The application for protection as a historic monument may be made by the owner of the property, the assignee or any person with an interest in it (local authority, heritage protection association, etc.). There are two levels of protection for historic monuments: registration and classification, which is the highest level.
Work on properties protected as historic monuments is carried out under the scientific and technical supervision of the DRAC (Regional Directorate for Cultural Affairs).

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Sorde Abbey is a member of the French Agency for the Routes of Santiago de Compostela. Under an agreement signed with the French government, the Agency is designated as the manager of the serial cultural property ‘Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France’, listed by UNESCO since 1998. It works with all the public owners of the 71 monuments and 7 sections of the route listed to ensure the best conditions for conservation, visitor reception and promotion.

Sorde Abbey is committed to promoting this property within its territory and throughout the Landes department through a number of initiatives: exhibitions, conferences, participation in the Agency's cultural season, etc.  

The Abbatia network brings together abbeys in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region that are open to the public. It enables these cultural and tourist sites to pool their resources and gain visibility among local authorities, institutions, partners and the general public. The network's regional influence aims to promote cultural and artistic exchanges between the past and the present and to organise high-quality school visits. 

Sorde Abbey has held the national Qualité TourismeTM label since December 2018. Created by the French government, this label brings together under a single symbol all the quality initiatives undertaken to ensure your satisfaction. An outward sign of confidence, Qualité TourismeTM guarantees you high-quality services. Sorde Abbey was awarded the label following an audit carried out by an independent external firm. 

More information on The Qualité Tourisme^tm brand
See the 2023 quality report

The « Tourism & Disability » label was obtained in 2025 for four types of disability: motor, visual, auditory and mental. Sorde Abbey has committed to this approach by implementing appropriate measures : 

• facilities: ramps, adapted furniture
• tours and mediation tools: easy to read and understand documents, tours adapted to motor and visual disabilities;
• equipment available: wheelchair, walking sticks with seats, magnetic loop, magnifying glass.

Outside the abbey, work has been carried out in collaboration with the municipality of Sorde to improve accessibility for visitors with reduced mobility :

• 1 disabled parking space in the car park on Place de l'Eglise (20 metres from the abbey)
• Disabled public toilets next to the village hall (150 metres from the abbey)

More information on Tourism and disabilityTM
 

Since 2012, Sorde Abbey has been committed to a sustainable tourism initiative launched by the Pays Adour Landes Océanes region and supported by various local tourism stakeholders. We are committed to minimising our environmental impact, promoting biodiversity, supporting the local economy and raising awareness among staff and visitors. 
This is why the abbey grounds feature recycling points, a rainwater collector, local products for sale in the shop, a garden planted with honey-producing species for pollinating insects, and a flower-filled fallow field.
Some actors of the territory are committed, like us, in this approach. Find the list here.
We occasionally offer ‘Nature and Culture’ walks in partnership with the Seignanx and Adour Permanent Centre for Environmental Initiatives (CPIE) to raise visitors' awareness of environmental issues while discovering the heritage of the Kiwi Valley.

View the eco-friendly actions poster
Consulter la charte d'engagement écoresponsable