Planning a day out to Fontevraud Abbey in the Loire Valley?
You won’t be disappointed as the Royal Fontevraud Abbey is one of the most famous in France, with stunning architecture and a history that’s hard to rival.
Not only is it a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but it’s the resting place of four Kings and Queens of England.
I recently spent the day there as I don’t live far away, and my only regret was that I wish I’d had more time. Three hours was simply not enough to see everything.
But don’t worry, if you’re planning a trip to Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud, this article will tell you exactly how to spend your time, how much time you need and what to do first.
Where to Stay in Fontevraud
Four-Star Hotel
What better place to stay than in the Abbey itself? And with a Michelin-starred restaurant where the dishes are created by Chef Thibaut Ruggeri, you can enjoy a gourmet experience.
Spending a Day at Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud
Nestled amidst the picturesque vineyards and rolling hills of the Loire Valley, Fontevraud Abbey invites you to step back in time and immerse yourself in centuries of history and spirituality.
Is Fontevraud Abbey Worth Visiting?
Yes, Fontevraud Abbey is definitely worth visiting. Spending a day here, you’re captivated by the beauty and tranquillity of the place as you embark on a journey through the history of time, where the past and the present harmoniously coexist.
From the grandeur of its Romanesque architecture to the intriguing stories of its former inhabitants, the abbey provides a deep connection to the rich tapestry of France’s past and how it’s intrinsically linked to England.
We opted to use the audio guide, which turned out to be a great move, as there were quite a few different self-guided tours you could do.
They have several languages available, including English, Spanish, and German, so if you don’t want to be part of a group tour, the audio guide is a perfect option.g
You will need to leave some form of security to use them, like a credit card or ID card, but I’d highly recommend doing this, especially if you want to maximise your time like I did.
Where is the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud?
The Abbey is in the Loire Valley region of France in the village of Fontevraud-l’Abbaye in western France, approximately 10 km (about 6 miles) southwest of Saumur.
Why is Fontevraud Abbey famous?
Blimey, where on earth do I start? Ok, from a personal perspective, and as a BIG admirer of Eleanor of Aquitaine, Queen of both France and England in the 12th century, I truly believe it was her love for the Abbey that made it famous.
Eleanor sought refuge in the walls of the Abbey many times during her life and spent her last years there in peaceful solace, making it her final resting place.
After her death, it was given royal protection by many aristocratic families throughout the years before the French Revolution.
But that’s just my opinion. Others, however, would argue that Eleanor wasn’t the Abbey’s only claim to fame and that as the largest, monastic community in Europe, this is what put it on the fame map.
That and the fact it was run by abbesses and not abbots for two centuries.
And, as women were given no power at all in the Middle Ages, the fact that the Abbey was run by women, warrants its own entry in the history books of fame.
A Snapshot History of Fontevraud Abbey
1101: The Abbey was founded by Robert d’Abrissel to house a community of women and men.
1117: Robert d’Abrissel died and placed that dual community under the authority of an abbess, Petronille de Chemillé.
1200: Eleanor of Aquitaine retired from royal life to the Abbey where she had effigies created for her late husband, Henry II, King of England, her son Richard the Lionheart and herself in preparation for her death.
1204: Eleanor of Aquitaine dies at the Abbey and is laid to rest.
1491: Abbess René de Bourbon, the first of five abbesses from the royal house of Bourbon, ran the Abbey.
1738: the four youngest daughters of Louis XV, Victoire, Sophie, Thérèse and Louise, were sent to the Abbey between 1738 and 1750.
1792: The nuns were removed from the Abbey following the French Revolution.
1804: The Abbey was converted into a prison, ending 700 years of monastic life. The buildings became the property of the State and, on the orders of Napoleon, were converted to a prison that housed convicts from the first 9 and then 19 French departments.
1840: The Abbey was classified as a historic monument
1963: The prison was officially shut down
1975: The Abbey became a cultural village centre
1985: It reopened to the public after extensive renovation
2000: The Abbey became a UNESCO World Heritage site
2021: The Modern Art Museum opens its doors within the Abbey walls
Where to Start on Your Visit to Fontevraud Abbey
The biggest tip I can give you is to make sure you allow yourself plenty of time, especially if the weather is good. You don’t want to feel rushed as there is so much to see and do.
To get to the Abbey, you have to go through the centre of the little village of the same name, which is really beautiful.
You’ll see a little village square, and, directly opposite, the entry to the Abbey Courtyard, known as the Courtyard of the Outside.
To say I was excited to be there would be an understatement. I’ve read so much about Eleanor of Aquitaine and her life that I feel as though I know her. She was an extraordinary woman and a real trailblazer of the 12th Century.
And coming through that courtyard, I could just imagine the times she would have come through that same courtyard on horseback with her entourage to stay at the Abbey. It sent shivers down my spine.
The Abbey Church
The first thing you see once you come through the turnstile at the ticket office, standing proudly in front of you, is the Abbey church.
It’s absolutely stunning and completely takes your breath away.
And as you take it all in, you can see ahead of you the beautiful grounds that stretch over 14 hectares of land.
But as you make your way down the steps into the Abbey church and through the enormous doors, you’ll see why people gasp when they see it.
Words just don’t do this place justice.
Back in the 12th century, eight daily services took place in the nave. And before being pillaged during the Revolution, the church was richly decorated and furnished, with stalls, confessionals, altarpieces, murals and more.
During its days as a prison, flooring was built to accommodate workshops and dormitories.
The Plantagenet royal necropolis
This was the area I wanted to see more than anything else, the place where Eleanor of Aquitaine’s (Aliénor d’Aquitaine) effigy lay. And I wasn’t disappointed.
As you look down the church, just before the crypt, you see four tombs.
Lying together are Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II, and after them, also lying together, is their son, Richard the Lionheart, and daughter-in-law, Isabella of Angouleme.
Although Eleanor’s body isn’t here anymore, just standing by her effigy I felt close to her, as if her energy was somehow still reaching me.
Unsurprisingly, Eleanor wanted to be in charge of how she was seen in death. She hired a stone mason to create an effigy for herself, her second husband, Henry II, and her son, Richard the Lionheart (Richard Coeur de Lion).
She was a formidable woman, and as queen of two nations, she wanted to ensure that she was remembered in death in a way fitting to her rank in life. And her effigy was her way of doing that.
She chose to read the bible for eternity, which reminded people of her piety. If you look closely, her tomb is raised a little above her husband, whom she outlived, as if in answer to his treatment of her during her life.
And I don’t blame her for a second, Henry had her locked up for 15 years for helping her sons to conspire against him. He was not an easy man and, as was so common in those times, believed Eleanor should stay out of politics and stick to bearing him heirs.
And give him heirs she did, eight in total, although sadly, she outlived all but two of them.
She was a very smart woman who knew a lot about how a country should be run through her first marriage to Louis XII of France. But instead of allowing her to help him, Henry banished her from court and took several mistresses into the bargain.
The very fact that she wanted to be laid to rest beside him, and ensured he had a fitting burial place, was a testament to her character.
READ MORE ABOUT: The Rebel Queen of French history, Eleanor of Aquitaine.
Unfortunately, the stone mason died before Eleanor’s tomb was finished, and she never actually got to see it.
However, she did get to see the tombs of her husband and son, Richard.
Richard was her favourite son. He was a true warrior known for his prowess on the battlefield, which is reflected in the design of his tomb as his stone body is lying with his sword on his chest.
Interestingly, his body was buried at Fontevraud Abbey, but his heart was sent to Rouen, where it was embalmed and entombed in a sarcophagus.
This sort of thing was common practice in Medieval times, and the bodies of royalty were never buried intact.
Unfortunately, today the tombs are empty, and the bodies of Eleanor, Henry, Richard and Isabella have long since disappeared, thought to have moved or possibly destroyed in the French Revolution.
Tomb of Robert d’Arbrissel
Robert d’Arbrissel, the founder of the Abbey, wanted to be buried in a grave outside the Abbey church. He didn’t want a big fuss, instead wishing to keep things simple.
However, the Abbess had other ideas, believing his final resting place should be in pride of place in the choir, the most sacred space in the Abbey.
In the 17th Century, his tomb was augmented with a new mausoleum, something similar to Eleanor and her family, at the edge of the choir.
Unfortunately, it’s no longer there, and I’m not sure what happened to it, as that wasn’t mentioned in the audio guide.
The Archaeological Crypt
During an archaeological dig a discovery was made that revealed traces of a church under the choir, that had been used by the first monastic community.
It opened to the public in 2016, and one of the walls they found depicting the scene of the last Judgement, dates back to before Richard the Lionheart’s death.
The Grand-Moutier Cloister
You can reach the cloisters at the back of the Abbey Church by going up a couple of small steps to the right. These lead you straight out into the cloisters, the heart of monastic life and a tranquil space for meditation, prayer, and contemplation.
They’re a great example of Romanesque architecture featuring a central courtyard with covered walkways (galleries) surrounding it.
The cloister galleries are supported by a series of elegant columns with intricately carved capitals.
These columns and capitals are adorned with various decorative motifs, including floral designs and biblical scenes, showcasing the skill and craftsmanship of medieval artisans.
They were rebuilt in the late 15th Century by Abbess René de Bourbon, and in its time as a prison, the cloister was divided into two prison yards.
Depending on the type of sentence received by the prisoner depended on which yard they got to use.
The Chapter Room
This room is stunning and kind of stops you in your tracks as you take it all in.
Let’s start with the floor, which was covered in black and white tiles in a checkerboard style, with some showcasing the coat of arms of the famous families who lived there.
These included the Salamander of François I, ‘fleur de lis’ of Louise de Bourbon, as well as the initials “RB” for the Abbess Renee of Bourbon.
And then there are the murals depicting the Passion of Christ, dating from between 1562 and 1567. This cycle of paintings was a reminder of the importance of worshipping Christ and the Virgin Mary at Fontevraud.
The Bourbon Abbesses had themselves included in these scenes to assert their authority and role in re-establishing the Abbey’s grandeur.
The nuns gathered daily to conduct administrative and spiritual affairs, making decisions that affected the daily life of the abbey.
The decisions made in the Chapter Room were of great importance, as they governed the routines, discipline, and spiritual practices of the Abbey’s inhabitants.
One distinctive feature is the elevated stone seat reserved for the abbess. As I mentioned earlier, Fontevraud Abbey was unique in that it was led by an abbess and the seat was a symbol of her leadership.
When it became a prison, it was used to store food, as well as being a makeshift courtroom to deal with the discipline of prisoners.
The Calefactory
This was one of the few heated rooms at the Abbey, and you’ll find it next to the Chapter Room.
It was used for manual work like embroidery, and during its prison years, it became a kitchen.
Now known as The Treasury, it displays heritage collections showcasing the history of the Abbey, from its beginnings to its end during the French Revolution.
Romanesque Kitchens
When you look at this building, the last thing you’ll be thinking is that it must be a kitchen, quite the opposite. With its octagon shape, it almost doesn’t look real.
The roof, although covered in tiles, looks like it’s been designed to represent lots of fish scales, and there are loads of hand-carved figures all over the gables.
It’s thought that it was probably a smokehouse in the 12th Century, which would make sense as much of the food eaten in a monastic community was fish.
And being so close to the Loire River, you can certainly imagine that being the case.
The building is actually quite small, but the blackened stones in one corner give you the impression that this is where the ovens would have been.
There has been much speculation over the years as to its actual use. Some say it was a funeral chapel, others a baptistery, and there is even talk of legendary bandit Evrault using it as his lair.
Saint-Benoit Courtyard
The buildings around this courtyard were reserved for sick nuns. On the ground floor, you had the treatment rooms along with a funeral chapel whilst the upper floor had heated rooms for the sick.
It’s another peaceful place and also houses a little chapel where the sick nuns could come to pray away from the rest of the community.
The Vegetable Gardens
Growing fruit and vegetables in the monastic communities in the Middle Ages was a way of life. Most of these places were self-sufficient, and the nuns and monks would tend to the gardens themselves daily.
The vegetable garden was started again at the Abbey in 2015 and is flourishing. Their commitment to build a sustainable centre is evident here.
They have also been producing their own honey with the help of a local beekeeper since 2013.To read more about the Abbey’s commitment to sustainability, visit the website.
Robert d’Arbrissel Hill
Although this area of the Abbey has changed throughout the years you can still get a feel for how it might have looked when the community first settled there. It was originally all forest with little wooden huts before the process of building the Abbey was completed.
If you climb up the hill and look down you get an amazing view of the facade of the Abbey and you’ll also discover some of the bells mentioned below.
Another lovely feature of the grounds was the many chairs and benches throughout allowing you to sit and contemplate and take it all in.
The Bells of Fontevraud
As we wandered around the grounds, we stumbled across a massive church bell and discovered that the Abbey plays host to a bell project. Unfortunately, like many things, the original bells were destroyed during the French Revolution.
The bell we found was installed in 2022 and named after the first abbess Petronilla.
Each year, as part of the project, the Abbey makes a new bell that is put somewhere within the grounds, and if you look up at the hill, you’ll see a few more dotted around.
Other areas of note at the Abbey
Due to there being a private function when I went, I wasn’t able to see the Refectory, Great Dormitory or the Prison Gallery and Admissions Yard, but I did listen to the audio about each area.
The Refectory
The mediaeval refectory was rebuilt in the 15th Century. The nuns would dine here in absolute silence, while a reader recited passages from the scripture.
During the prison days, flooring was built here. The ground floor housed workshops, with a dormitory on the first floor.
The Great Dormitory
This was one of the Abbey’s three dormitories. Its dimensions provide an idea of the size of the community of nuns. Unfortunately, the internal layout has since disappeared, but originally, the central hallway led to individual cells.
There were high windows which gave a great deal of light, and each cell had its own much lower window.
The Prison Gallery
This covered walkway was built above the cloister gallery to allow prison guards to move from one area to the next.
We were told by the lady who gave us our audio guides that the Abbey was also used as a prison during World War II. Many Resistance members were held captive here, and ten were shot within the grounds.
The Admissions Yard
The prison administration recorded inmate admissions and releases. The old visiting rooms are now set up to show the Abbey as it was during its time as a prison.
Fontevraud Modern Art Museum
The Modern Art Museum opened at the Abbey in 2021 and is housed in the old Fannerie, which was built in 1786. A Fannerie I learned was where hay was stored, and the building was part of the original stables.
The main collection of 900 pieces has been donated by Martine and Léon Cligman, who spent many years collecting works of art from 19th and 20th century artists.
I didn’t have time to go to the museum, but they feature different exhibitions and concerts throughout the year, and it’s well worth a look if you can squeeze it in.
Where to Stay in Fontevraud
NO 1 PICK – Fontevraud L’Hôtel
Four-Star Hotel – What better place to stay than in the Abbey itself? I took a peek inside Fontevraud L’Hôtel, and it was beautiful, with a contemporary design completely in sympathy with the surroundings of the Abbey.
And with a Michelin-starred restaurant where the dishes are created by Chef Thibaut Ruggeri, you can enjoy a gourmet experience.
See the Abbey from a different perspective at night when the visitors have gone, and you’re left with the peaceful tranquillity of the surroundings.
Check rates & availability for Fontevraud L’Hôtel >>>
NO 2 PICK – Fontevraud Maison de Ville
B&B – If you’re looking for the comforts of home, opposite the entrance to the Abbey, you’ll love
