Abbaye du Jard, abbey located in Seine-et-Marne, in France
The Abbaye du Jard is a former royal abbey in Voisenon with ruins made of brick and stone, whose facade remains visible today. The grounds also include an underground ice cellar from the 18th century and span a park of about 45 hectares with historical structures.
The abbey was founded between 1199 and 1204 by Queen Adèle of Champagne and dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, becoming an important monastic site. After the French Revolution, it was sold as national property in 1791 and later demolished, with only the facade and underground structures surviving.
The name comes from its original meaning as a large enclosed garden or park, which was typical for villages in the Champagne region. Walking through the grounds today, visitors can still sense how this historical garden shaped the local landscape.
The outdoor grounds and ruins can be visited freely, while the main castle building is not open to visitors. The park is accessible for exploration and provides a good sense of the site's history and landscape, maintained by an organization serving people with disabilities.
The underground ice cellar from the 18th century is remarkably well preserved and shows how people stored ice before modern refrigeration to keep food cool. This subterranean structure remains accessible to visitors today and offers a practical glimpse into historical everyday techniques.
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