Abbaye de Blanche-Couronne, Medieval abbey in La Chapelle-Launay, France

Abbaye de Blanche-Couronne is a medieval Benedictine abbey with four wings arranged around an 18th-century cloister. The Romanesque church dates from the 12th century and features stone walls, while the complex also includes a 13th-century funeral niche and a grand staircase.

The abbey was first documented in 1161 when it began as a Benedictine community under the patronage of Notre-Dame de la Grainetiere Abbey. Its standing in the church grew significantly after receiving major papal privileges in 1234, which secured its authority and influence in the region.

The 14th-century wall paintings are in the old cloister, not the nave; the chapter house itself was rebuilt between the 12th and 18th centuries. In the 19th century the painter Jules-Élie Delaunay, working at the abbey, painted the coat of arms of Jean Briçonnet in one of its rooms and added large murals.

The site is currently undergoing restoration work between 2019 and 2025, so access is limited outside special occasions. You can typically visit during European Heritage Days, when the buildings are open to the public.

The south facade displays a carved coat of arms belonging to Jean Briconnet, a former commendatory abbot. This heraldic mark is one of the rare personal signatures left behind by the many abbots who directed this monastery.