La Trinité: Overall view, showing twin towers of facade and side of the building

The façade has two large towers on the sides, each with doors leading to the aisles. The original spires were destroyed in the Hundred Years’ War and replaced by less striking balustrades in the early 18th century. The abbey was founded c. 1060 by Matilda, wife of William the Conqueror, as a convent for women. There was a consecration in 1066, and Matilda was buried in the choir in 1083. Work continued until c. 1130, when the nave received its unusual false sexpartite vaults. The church has a crypt at the east end, an aisled nave of nine bays with a twin-tower façade block, projecting transepts with an eastern apsidal chapel on each arm (that opening on to the south transept was replaced c. 1260 by a Gothic rectangular chapel) and a two-bay, groin-vaulted choir separated from the flanking aisles by a solid wall.