Sénanque Abbey, Gordes, France

Sénanque Abbey is a Cistercian abbey near the village of Gordes in Provence. It was founded in 1148 under the patronage of Alfant, bishop of Cavaillon, by Cistercian monks who came from Mazan Abbey in the Ardèche.

The young community found patrons in the seigneurs of Simiane, whose support enabled them to build the abbey church, consecrated in 1178. Among its existing structures, famed examples of Romanesque architecture, are the abbey church, cloister, dormitory, chapter house and the small calefactory, the one heated space in the austere surroundings, so that the monks could write, for this was their scriptorium. A refectory was added in the 17th century, when some minimal rebuilding of existing walls was undertaken, but the abbey is a remarkably untouched survival, of rare beauty and severity: the capitals of the paired columns in the cloister arcades are reduced to the simplest leaf forms, not to offer sensual distraction.

In the 13th and 14th centuries, Sénanque reached its apogee, operating four mills, seven granges and possessing large estates in Provence. In 1509, when the first abbot in commendam was named, a sure sign of the decline of vocation, the community at Sénanque had shrunk to about a dozen. During the Wars of Religion the quarters for the lay brothers were destroyed and the abbey was ransacked by Huguenots. At the French Revolution the abbey's lands were nationalized, the one remaining monk was expelled and Sénanque itself was sold to a private individual.

Second foundation

The site was repurchased in 1854 for a new community of Cistercian monks of the Immaculate Conception, under a rule less stringent than that of the Trappists. The community was expelled in 1903 and departed to the Order's headquarters, Lérins Abbey on the island of St. Honorat, near Cannes. A small community returned in 1988 as a priory of Lérins.

The monks who live at Sénanque grow lavender and tend honey bees for their livelihood. It is possible for individuals to arrange to stay at the abbey for spiritual retreat.

References:

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User Reviews

Stine W (10 months ago)
A lovely abbey and cloister. I especially recommend the beautiful gift shop and library. They have some very delicious locally made treats, perfumes, lavender everything, and an excellent book store.

Søren Bregenholt (10 months ago)
A magnificent spot in the valley not far from Gordes, especially with the lavender is full color. The tour of the monastery i definitely worth the 8.50 €. Grab a histo-pad and get guided at your own pace and in the language of your choice. The museum shop is well equipped. Beware that dogs are not allowed and remember dress properly! Shawls are available should you need it.

Bogdan Oprea (10 months ago)
Superb! If you catch lavender in bloom it's a place out of the story. It is certainly a perfect example of how monastic life merges with tourism. Don't limit yourself to just visiting the store (which is really special) but also take a tour of the monastery. We weren't lucky enough to see the blooming lavender fields, but instead we caught a quiet day with very few visitors (I think there were 10 cars at most in the parking lot) which allowed us to enjoy the unreal tranquility of the place .

Daniel Shao (Harvey Daniel) (12 months ago)
This touristy destination is a very nice place to visit. In addition to the lovely church, you have a wide amount of lavender shown in all the fields. However, this place is very touristy and hard to find parking, many people also act rude by picking lavender not supposed to be picked, and even some people having a picnic. If you ignore these faults, this place is a wonderful destination if you come along this area.

Chris H (13 months ago)
Beautiful monestary nestled in a lovely valley with lavender fields. Interesting tour, and very well-stocked gift shop. Definitely worth a visit, though the access was chaotic. There is a relatively large car park right outside the Abbey, which had plenty of spots available, but of course that wasn't apparent, so people assumed that they needed to park outside the gates and along the access road, which caused numerous traffic jams.

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Sénanque Abbey

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