Fontenay Abbey (Abbaye de Fontenay) was a Cistercian abbey founded in 1118. Guided tours are offered but you may walk around on your own. The grounds are large and beautiful. In the complex you can visit the large church, the cloister, and the forge (and a few other buildings).
The Cistercian Order was a Roman Catholic religious order of monks and nuns founded in Burgundy, France in the late 11th century. It spread throughout France, Britain, Ireland and other European countries in the 12th century. The Medieval architecture is Romanesque, stressing simplicity and functional use. The monks and nuns lived a simple life based around manual labor and self sufficiency. In England the abbeys were dissolved in the 16th century by order of King Henry VIII (the Dissolution of the Monasteries), so only ruins remain. In France many abbeys were closed during the French Revolution in the 18th century, but some survived and are still in use today.
Fontenay Abbey is located north of Montbard, in a beautiful and peaceful valley.
Website: Abbaye de Fontenay
See our article The Three Sisters of Provence for information about other Cistercian abbeys in France.
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The church in the abbey complex.
Inside the church.
Google Map
More Photos
The Cistercian Order was a Roman Catholic religious order of monks and nuns founded in Burgundy, France in the late 11th century. It spread throughout France, Britain, Ireland and other European countries in the 12th century. The Medieval architecture is Romanesque, stressing simplicity and functional use. The monks and nuns lived a simple life based around manual labor and self sufficiency. In England the abbeys were dissolved in the 16th century by order of King Henry VIII (the Dissolution of the Monasteries), so only ruins remain. In France many abbeys were closed during the French Revolution in the 18th century, but some survived and are still in use today.
Location: France - Bourgogne-Franche-Comte (previously Burgundy) - Cote-d'Or - MontbardFontenay Abbey is located north of Montbard, in a beautiful and peaceful valley.
Website: Abbaye de Fontenay
See our article The Three Sisters of Provence for information about other Cistercian abbeys in France.
Provence - Cistercian Abbeys: The Three Sisters of Provence
There is so much to see in Provence if you’re a history buff, it could drive you crazy. In order to preserve our sanity and marriage, The Husband and I decided to follow a theme on this trip to Provence, and restrain ourselves to visiting Roman sites. We also agreed to throw in visits to three...
www.sloweurope.com
The church in the abbey complex.
Inside the church.
Google Map
More Photos
