Abbaye de Fontevraud

Fontevraud-l'Abbaye

Founded in 1101 by the itinerant preacher Robert d'Arbrissel, Fontevraud Abbey became a double order governed by abbesses, often drawn from high nobility or royal families. It grew into the Plantagenet dynastic necropolis: Henry II Plantagenet (died 1189), Richard the Lionheart (died 1199) and Eleanor of Aquitaine (died 1204) were buried here, their painted tomb effigies still visible in the abbey church. Suppressed at the Revolution, the abbey was turned into a state prison from 1804 to 1963 — which, paradoxically, is why its monastic layout survives complete. Today it is the largest surviving monastic complex in Europe.

Getting there : Listed as a historic monument in 1840 (by Prosper Mérimée), with further listings 1962–1998; inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 (Loire Valley); open year-round

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

Ambient sound