Valmont Abbey, Valmont, France

Valmont Abbey (Notre-Dame-du-Pré de Valmont) was a Benedictine abbey founded in 1169 by Nicolas d'Estouteville with Benedictines split off from Hambye Abbey. It never held more than 25 monks and was destroyed and rebuilt several times, with the abbey church only truly completed in the 16th century – countess Marie II of Saint-Pol is buried in it.

The abbey buildings were built from 1678 to 1782 under Louis de La Fayette (1634–1729), commendatory abbot, who tried to introduce the Saint Maur reforms to the abbey. It was finally reformed in 1754 by the Maurists and was rebuilt during the second half of the 18th century, until the French Revolution, when it was dissolved – its monks were dispersed in 1789 and its buildings sold off to private owners in 1791.The painter Eugène Delacroix often holidayed at the Valmont manor house and the abbey ruins inspired his drawing Ruines de l'abbaye de Valmont, now in the musée du Louvre. The abbey became a monastic site again in 1994, re-founded by Benedictines from Notre-Dame-du-Pré at Lisieux and re-dedicated in 2004.

Its chapel and surviving ruins of other parts of the abbey were classed as a historic monument in 1951 and the facades and roofs of all the abbey buildings were made historic monuments in 1965.

References:

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User Reviews

Julie A. (2 years ago)
What a shame that only the church is open (following the departure of the sisters). However pretty Church and "staff" very available by telephone to inform us.

V. LG (2 years ago)
We are there! We're coming back! What I like: A place of prayer which remains despite the departure of the sisters. An atmosphere different from parishes where it is often difficult to find silence before or after masses. The presence of a Benedictine priest certainly adds something.

EC (2 years ago)
Very beautiful restoration - not at all the 'clearance' look that we too often see in the side chapels of our churches.

frederic caux (2 years ago)
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Joy Lee (3 years ago)
Very nice experience to visit with kids. Good place to explain about God and devouted life.

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