Bonport Abbey

Pont-de-l'Arche, France

The abbey of our Lady of Bonport was founded in 1189 by Richard the Lionheart, King of England and Duke of Normandy. According to legend, the King was in peril on the river Seine and made a vow that if he arrived safely (in French à Bonport) on the other bank of the river, he would found a monastery on that side. The abbey was built shortly afterwards with the help of local lords and was damaged and restored several times throughout history. Its closter and church were destroyed after Revolution. It is one of the few remaining cistercian abbeys in Normandy with monastic buildings of the Middle Ages including a magnificent 13th century vaulted refectory.

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Details

Founded: 1189
Category: Religious sites in France
Historical period: Late Capetians (France)

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4.3/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

D. Chaumont (10 months ago)
Notre Dame de Bonport Abbey is a former Cistercian abbey which was founded in 1189 by Richard the Lionheart. The peak of the monastery was in the 13th and 14th centuries thanks to regular income and the work of its copyist monks. Only a few elements remain from the 13th century, such as the cellar or the refectory. The public auction as national property in 1791 marked the end of all monastic activity. The abbey church was transformed, as elsewhere, into a stone quarry by its new owner, which it remained until the middle of the 19th century. When the Lenoble family purchased the premises in 1874, all that remained was the farm, the dovecote, the dormitory, the refectory and the kitchen. It still belongs today to private owners who are restoring it.
Cloe Manara (2 years ago)
It is really a visit to do if you want to be amazed: an architectural masterpiece. Possibility of guided tour also.
Anna Lebo (2 years ago)
Very nice discovery of the Abbey of Bonport. I recommend the guided tour! Congratulations to the guide for these first visits.
Sylvain Chaty (2 years ago)
Very beautiful abbey, at least from the outside
Ghislain Henry (6 years ago)
We celebrated a wedding there, the place is very pleasant, calm and relaxing.
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