The stunning Benedictine Palace houses the distillery of the famous Benedictine liqueur, made from an infusion of 27 herbs and spices, that is said to have been first brewed by the monks of Fécamp abbey in the early 16th century. A striking Gothic and Renaissance-inspired building, the palace was finished in 1898. Today, you can take a tour of the distillery with its hammered copper stills, and visit the cellars full of oak casks as well as, of course, having a tasting of this fine liqueur.
The palace is also home to the art collections of the Le Grand family, built up by Alexandre le Grand who discovered the recipe for the liqueur in a document written by the monk, Vincelli. The collection is large and includes books, painting, sculptures and even wrought ironwork. The Gothic room contains the library with over a thousand books, many of which came from Fécamp abbey, whilst the Renaissance room contains a large collection of keys that was started in the 14th century. The palace also holds regular exhibitions of contemporary art.
