Abbaye aux Dames

Saintes, France

The Abbaye aux Dames ('Ladies' Abbey') was the first Benedictine nunnery in Saintes. The abbey was founded in 1047 by Geoffrey II, Count of Anjou, and his wife Agnes. Agnes later retired to the nunnery and died there.

One of its abbesses was Agnès of Barbezieux (1134–1174), whose relative, Eleanor of Aquitaine, was a generous donor to the abbey. The abbey church, Sainte-Marie-des-Dames, dates from the 12th century.

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Details

Founded: 1047
Category: Religious sites in France
Historical period: Birth of Capetian dynasty (France)

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.4/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

angela lambert (9 months ago)
Very pretty in a small place stranded in for half an hour on way to to Bordeaux.
Rose Youtube (11 months ago)
Make sure if you get an audio it is clearly explained. My audio battery ran out shortly after starting the tour. Being on a tight timeframe, I couldn't catch my wife and returned the audio and waited for my wife to finish the tour. Disappointingly, they were unwilling to provide a refund.
Luca Lategan (2 years ago)
Worth a visit to see the ancient sculptures and architecture that has been well and) preserved!
Jeffrey Smith (4 years ago)
This place is something very special! You can also make a reservation to stay at the Abbey where the nuns slept and the rooms are absolutely breathtaking, beautiful, have excellent views and is a uniquely French experience. The moment you step on the grounds here, you feel as if you are entering a space that has a long rich history. There is always something going on here year round. Probably the best time to visit the Abbaye to the Ladies of Saintes would be in the summer when the Saintes Music Festival is happening. I went there during summer and had the time of my life there and also in the spring. Even during the summer season I did not feel this place was crowded or distracting the serenity of the town. There is also a lot of great restaurants nearby and if you are lucky to stay long enough, there's an amazing farmers market outside withing a 5-10 minute walk where you'll find out sorts of hidden gems.
Dina Iakovleva (5 years ago)
Yesterday, 14/07/2019 a lot of people were dancing near Abbey. It was amazing, fantastic! 'Cause the dances were folk, old like 500 years ago.
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