Abbaye Saint-Maur de Glanfeuil

Gennes-Val-de-Loire (Saint-Maur-de-Glanfeuil)

At Glanfeuil, on the Loire, tradition makes Saint Maurus (around 500–584), a disciple of Saint Benedict, the founder of the first Benedictine monastery of the region. This account rests on a life of Saint Maurus attributed to Faustus and copied by Abbot Odo; its reliability is disputed, and the relics “discovered” around 845 are described as supposed by English Wikipedia. The monastery was restored around 824–830 by Count Rorgon I of Maine, with monks from Saint-Pierre-des-Fossés. Faced with Norman raids, the monks carried the relics off to Fossés, which became Saint-Maur-des-Fossés (862 according to English Wikipedia, 868 according to monestirs.cat). Glanfeuil became a priory and never recovered them. The abbey regained its independence in 1095, was ruined during the Hundred Years' War, passed into commendam in 1544, then was occupied by the Calvinists between 1568 and 1589. In 1668 the Congregation of Saint-Maur restored it. It was suppressed in 1790. Louis-Charles Couturier, abbot of Solesmes, refounded it in 1890; the monks had to leave France in 1901. A large part of the buildings of the 17th–18th centuries survives.

Getting there: On the Loire, east of Angers, commune of Gennes-Val-de-Loire; visit to be checked. Coordinates: OpenStreetMap (Nominatim), consistent with monestirs.cat (47.39145; −0.28296).

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

Ambient sound