Bon-Repos Abbey
Description
The Bon-Repos Abbey was founded by Viscount Alain III de Rohan in c. 1184. According to legend, he was asked to build it by the Virgin Mary; she appeared to him in a dream when he fell asleep on this spot after a hard day’s hunting in the Quénécan Forest. After a tumultuous history, which included being burnt down by the Chouans (Royalists) in 1795, the abbey fell into ruin until it was rescued in 1986 by the local community who founded the Association of Friends of Bon Repos Abbey. Thanks to the association, part of the abbey has been restored although the main body is an empty shell. Nowadays the abbey is devoted to nurturing contemporary art by having artists in residence and holding regular exhibitions.