One of the joys of spending our summers where we do is that there are so many places to visit within an hour or two’s drive. I spent a recent afternoon at the Abbaye de Fontfroide. Nestled in a valley near Narbonne, it is a hidden gem of immense proportions.
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History
The abbey was founded in the late 11th century and, incredibly, has been preserved with all its buildings intact. It was commissioned by a count of Narbonne. During the Middle Ages, it was one of the most powerful abbeys in Europe, playing a major role during the crusade against the Cathars.
The Abbaye de Fontfroide’s best-known abbot was Jacques Fournier who, as Bishop of Foix, commanded the Inquisition which investigated the Cathars of Montaillou and condemned many of the villagers to death. He went on to be elected as Pope Benedict XII in 1337.
The abbey was saved from ruin by Gustave and Madeleine Fayet-d’Andoque who bought the property in 1908. It remains in private hands to this day and is still managed by their descendants. They fund the huge costs involved in the upkeep of such a large collection of buildings through admission charges and a programme of events, including plant sales, craft fairs, music concerts, and sound and light shows.
A Visit to the Abbaye de Fontfroide
When you visit the Abbaye de Fontfroide today, you can wander around by yourself (guided tours are only available in French) and soak up the peaceful atmosphere. The sandstone used in the buildings absorbs the sun’s rays, giving a warm, orange glow which contrasts beautifully with the surrounding lush green forest.
In the abbey itself, there are fine examples of traditional stained glass as well as some starkly modern pieces in the small chapel. The gravelled courtyard, surrounded on all four sides by attractive three-storey buildings, is the perfect place to pause and admire the fabulous architecture. The cloister with its vaulted ceiling and stone archways is a haven of peace and tranquillity framing, as it does, a beautiful garden.
The Abbaye de Fontfroide is renowned as much for its gardens as for its buildings. There is a magnificent rose garden housing 2,000 rose bushes (it was too early in the season for these to be in flower when I visited – I’ll have to go again later in the year!) and 2.2 acres of enclosed terraced gardens. These have been fully restored to retrace the history of the gardens from medieval times to the present day. As you walk up through the terraces, you get a good view of the abbey buildings, giving you some appreciation of the huge scale of the complex.
For the best view of the abbey, though, you need to complete one of the marked pathways which criss-cross the 4,000 acres of unspoilt countryside that makes up the Fontfroide Massif. I can recommend the circular walk up to the iron cross on the hill.
A trip to the Abbaye de Fontfroide is well worth the €7.50 entrance fee (free for under 18s), especially if you coincide your visit with the Plant and Flower Festival, as I did.
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Some photos of the plant festival:
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