Royal abbey of Fontevraud, Medieval abbey in Loire Valley, France
Fontevraud Abbey is a medieval monastic complex in Fontevraud-l'Abbaye in the Loire Valley, with a church, cloisters, and several stone monastic buildings. The site consists of different areas including a chapter house, a dormitory, and a round kitchen with multiple fireplaces, all connected by paved courtyards.
Robert d'Arbrissel founded this double monastery for monks and nuns in 1101, with an abbess leading both communities. The church became a burial site for the Plantagenets in the 12th century, including Eleanor of Aquitaine and her family.
The name Fontevraud derives from the Latin Fons Ebraldi, the valley where Robert of Arbrissel settled around 1100. The abbey's round Romanesque kitchen, known as the Tour d'Evrault, has a pyramidal roof pierced by five chimneys. It stands apart from the monastic buildings and served the community's meals.
Most rooms are at ground level and reachable by paved paths, though some areas have stairs. Audio guides are available at the entrance and help understand the different buildings and their functions.
The abbey became a prison in 1804 and held inmates until 1963; men, women and children arrived from 1814, and the site was planned for 1,000 prisoners, with new barracks added and monastic rooms turned into dormitories and workshops. Napoleon ordered the conversion into a central house of correction.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,776 contributors worldwide.
