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Let yourself be surprised by a visit to Fontevraud

A visit to Fontevraud opens the door to the Loire-Anjou-Touraine Regional Nature Park. Prepare to be surprised, as this commune combines in one place what you would rarely expect to find together. Indeed, for heritage lovers, it’s a veritable little paradise. An exceptional royal abbey, a renowned museum of modern art, a Michelin-starred restaurant, a village listed as one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France and a Petite Cité de Caractère… In short, here, history, art and the gentle way of life offer you a day full of emotions and discoveries.

The not-to-be-missed Royal Abbey of Fontevraud

The heart of Fontevraud remains its Royal Abbey, one of the largest monastic complexes still visible in Europe. From the moment you enter, the light-coloured tufa, the great vertical lines and the natural light give the place a special presence. It’s easy to move from one space to another: the cloister, offering an initial insight into monastic life; the chapter house, where the vaults tell as much as the frescoes; the refectory, vast and uncluttered; and the Romanesque kitchen, recognisable by its octagonal shape and astonishing fireplace.

The visit works like a gradual journey back in time. First, we come across the traces of the order founded in the XIIᵉ century, the additions of the abbesses who ruled Fontevraud for centuries, and then the transformations associated with its conversion to a prison in the XIXᵉ century.

Then, each space adds a new nuance: the silence of the cloister, the relief of the sculptures, the vistas opening onto the gardens, the volumes that change as the buildings change. The whole shows the extent to which Fontevraud was a central place in the religious and political history of the region, while remaining today a fabulous site to wander around, easy to explore and rich in discoveries.

Spotlight on Richard the Lionheart and Eleanor of Aquitaine

One of the highlights of your visit to the abbey church are the recumbent figures of Richard the Lionheart and Eleanor of Aquitaine. Their sculptures, which are still very well preserved, show the care taken with the details: the draping of the clothes, the royal symbols, the postures that tell of their rank and their times…

Their presence at Fontevraud testifies to the major role played by the abbey in the history of the Plantagenets, at the heart of a territory then divided between French and English influences.

There’s no need to make your hair stand on end by going back to your secondary school history lessons. Panels and interpretive displays place these sovereigns in their political and family context, explaining why they are buried here and how their fate shaped European history. In this way, the discovery of the site takes on greater depth, and gives a more tangible dimension to its international dimension.

A stop at the Fontevraud Museum of Modern Art

While you’re at theRoyal Abbey of Fontevraud, head for one of the abbey’s old buildings to discover the Museum of Modern Art. Its presence brings an unexpected contemporary dimension to Fontevraud. The collection, the result of the Cligman donation, named after the great industrialist and collector Léon Cligman, brings together a variety of works. You can admire paintings, sculptures, textiles, objets d’art and pieces from non-European cultures.

Moving from one room to the next is like leafing through an artistic travel diary, with each work recounting a journey, an era or a technique.

What’s more, the layout is designed to respect the history of the site. The old volumes remain visible, the materials interact with the works and some spaces even offer views of the monastic buildings. This staging creates a fluid experience, where visitors do not simply alternate between ancient and modern, but discover how the two can coexist in the same cultural gesture. In this way, the visit functions like a breath between two periods of the site: after the historic rooms of the abbey, this museum offers another way of understanding Fontevraud, more sensitive, more intimate and resolutely turned towards creativity.

Michelin-starred gastronomic experience at L'Ermitage

Just a stone’s throw away, the Michelin-starred L’Ermitage restaurant offers cuisine in keeping with the spirit of the place. The menus are based on local produce, with particular attention paid to vegetables, herbs and the seasons. The dishes are prepared with precision, and it’s easy to recognise where the flavours come from.

The dining room, housed in an unassuming building, is bright and simple. Nothing distracts from the essential: the rhythm of the service, the harmony of the dishes and the direct link with the culinary landscape of Anjou and Touraine, creating a different pause in the tour. After the abbey and the museum, it offers a stage where the same materials and the same colours can be found, this time transposed onto the plate. An intimate and pleasant way to continue your visit to Fontevraud.

A village full of charm

Around the abbey, the village of Fontevraud is easy to explore. The narrow streets are close together, making it easy to explore everything on foot. You’ll come across carefully restored tufa stone houses , sculpted facades, old doors and small gardens visible from the street.

Together, they form ahistoric centre where you can often stop to observe an architectural detail, enter a workshop or enjoy a terrace. The Plus Beaux Villages de France and Petite Cité de Caractère labels are a good reflection of this atmosphere: an old centre that is modest in size but rich in discoveries, where every diversions adds something to the visit. It’s a village designed for strolling around, taking your time and taking in the gentle atmosphere that surrounds the abbey.

Finally, Fontevraud brings together strong, complementary worlds. You come for theRoyal Abbey, you stay for the harmony between heritage, contemporary creation, gastronomy and the village setting. It’s a visit unlike any other, and one that often marks the discovery of the Pays Loudunais and the surrounding area.

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