As soon as one enters the cloister, one is impressed by its beauty, the four, 40 metre long galleries and columns on which 76 capitals bloom out.

First the cloister is remarkable for its age. The dedication stone reads the year when it was erected: AD1100, under the rule of Abbot Ansquitil. No other cloister of this era is as well preserved in the world.

The second major point of interest, to be associated with the period, is the numerous historiated capitals representing about 50 scenes from the Bible and Chruch history. They present a rich panorama of Christian revelation and look like an illustrated "Open Bible".
Carvers at the same time kept loyal to the biblical text and freely adapted it, one can also notice the influence of Fathers of Church commentaries.