Saint-Evroul Abbey Ruins, Saint-Evroult-Notre-Dame-du-Bois, France

The Abbey of Saint-Evroul is a former Benedictine abbey, today in ruins. Its name refers to its founder, Ebrulf (Evroul), who founded a hermitage in the forest of Ouche around 560. The abbey was rebuilt around 1000. Robert de Grantmesnil served as abbot of Saint-Evroul, which he helped restore in 1050. He had become a monk at Saint-Evroul before becoming its abbot. Orderic Vitalis entered the abbey as a young boy and later wrote a history of the abbey. Saint-Evroul was famed for its musical programme and eleven monks brought its musical traditions to the abbey of Sant'Eufemia (now part ot town of Lamezia Terme) in Calabria. The abbey was rebuilt again between 1231 and 1284. In 1628 it was closed and demolished finally in the early 1800s.

References:

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User Reviews

Frank (7 months ago)
Small ruined abbey church, most of it has been pillaged throughout the ages. No toilet or restaurants nearby

Corinne JULIENNE (9 months ago)
Magnificence of a high place. Sensitive to the origin and understanding of history, this place is to be discovered. Peaceful and beautiful☀

Noël Falaize (10 months ago)
Very nice place, party room and lodgings at the top. The pond and concrete activities are a beautiful place ?

philippe cerdan (2 years ago)
Very pretty ruin that this abbey. Like many others. It was sold to the revolution as a stone quarry. As it is a shame when we see the plans at the origin it must have been huge. With extraordinary dimensions

Kevin Hayden (2 years ago)
This abbey and the attached ruins are an ideal picnic spot. The region has elegant rolling countryside with some authentic villages and friendly restaurants.

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As seat of the Governor of the Foix region from the 15th century, the castle continued to ensure the defence of the area, notably during the Wars of Religion. Alone of all the castles in the region, it was exempted from the destruction orders of Richelieu (1632-1638).

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Since 1930, the castle has housed the collections of the Ariège départemental museum. Sections on prehistory, Gallo-Roman and mediaeval archaeology tell the history of Ariège from ancient times. Currently, the museum is rearranging exhibits to concentrate on the history of the castle site so as to recreate the life of Foix at the time of the Counts.

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