Both the architecture and furniture of the former abbey of Pontigny, now a parish church, have retained a typically Cistercian austerity. The building is a miracle of elegance and clarity, marking the passage from the Romanesque to the Gothic era. The choir, reconstructed in the Gothic style, lends weight and dignity to the edifice. Pontigny is forever associated with the memory of three archbishops of Canterbury, one of whom (Thomas à Becket) spent four years in exile here between 1162 and 1166.

 The church, devoid of towers in compliance with the precepts of St Bernard, dominates the surrounding countryside with its long silhouette.