Abbaye Notre-Dame de Grâce de Bricquebec

Bricquebec-en-Cotentin

Bricquebec is a new foundation. On 13 July 1824, the abbé Bon Onfroy, parish priest of Digosville, settled in a marsh of the Cotentin to lead the monastic life. The abbey of Port-du-Salut lent him three monks. On 29 July 1825, Pope Leo XII recognised the priory and affiliated it to the Trappe congregation. The church was consecrated on 13 November 1834, and Rome raised the abbey to its rank in 1836: the founder became its abbot under the name dom Augustin. The monks drained the marshes and created a dairy farm, a cheese dairy and a pork butchery. Dom Vital Lehodey, abbot from 1895 to 1929, made the house known through his books of spirituality. From 1902 to 1921, the community kept a refuge in England. From 1896 it founded in Japan the monasteries of Tobetsu and Tenshien, from which other houses would be born. In 2023, nine monks still live there.

OCSO — Abbaye Notre-Dame de Grâce de Bricquebec ↗

Getting there: At the place called La Trappe, south-west of Bricquebec, by the route de la Trappe; church, monastic shop and guesthouse open; Valognes railway station 12 km away.

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound