Founded in 1101 on the borders of the provinces of Anjou, Poitou and Touraine, the royal Abbey of Fontevraud is the largest monastic city inherited from the Middle Ages. It owes its power in particular to the Plantagenets and its close links with Eleanor of Aquitaine, an emblematic figure of this mysterious place. The Queen of France and then of England in fact maintained a special relationship with the city and approached it to direct the affairs of the kingdom upon the death of her husband, Henri II Plantagenet. Her recumbent figure still sits today in the heart of the abbey church alongside those of her husband and her son Richard the Lionheart. More than any other place, the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud is today recognized as the necropolis of the reigning dynasty in England from 1154 to 1485.
Fontevraud Abbey was conceived from its creation as a “very singular foundation” by its founder Robert d’Arbrissel, an itinerant preacher, defender of the poor and demanding reformer. It is distinguished from other religious establishments by the fact of having always been led by abbesses (36 have succeeded one another). But the story of Fontevraud shines beyond the religious circle. Beloved by kings, it welcomed many nobles of royal blood for seven centuries before the Revolution chased away all the monks and nuns. From 1804, Napoleon I transformed Fontevraud into one of the harshest prisons in France, a role it retained until 1963.
The prison complex initially accommodates men, women and children. It also generates real economic activity with the manufacture of buttons, gloves, chairs, nets and blankets for the army. Prisoners also work in fabric manufacturing. Although the prison was officially closed in 1963, the last prisoners did not leave until 1985 after participating in the immense restoration project. Listed in 1840 as a Historic Monument, the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud is one of the first French buildings to have benefited from this classification. Since 2000, it has also been listed as a UNESCO world heritage site with the Loire Valley, a way of pursuing the ambition of the Ideal City desired by its founder. Its 14 hectares welcome visitors, artists in residence and conference attendees daily. History continues to be written in Fontevraud with the upcoming creation of a Museum of Modern Art aimed at exhibiting the works of the Martine & Léon Cligman donation. Having become a city in the true sense of the term, the Abbey of Fontevraud also offers bistronomic and snacking restaurants, a starred gourmet restaurant and a **** hotel in the heart of the site in addition to being a lively place of spectacle and creation artistic and scenic.
The village that has been organized around the monastic city, and the main square located at the entrance gate of the abbey have an undeniable charm. But the "highlight of the show" remains the abbey that can only be seen by entering the enclosure after having bought your ticket. One of the cultural and historical highlights of the region that certainly deserves a stop for a visit. Between the abbey, the monastic city, the museum, the old prison and the park, there is more than enough time to spend an entire day there, and even at night in summer with nighttime illuminations.
Translated by Google •
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