Valmagne Abbey

Valmagne Abbey is a stone monastery in southern France featuring Gothic arches, ribbed vaults, and tall windows arranged in an orderly monastic layout. Today the church interior serves as a wine storage facility, with large wooden barrels filling the religious space.

The abbey was founded in the 1100s as a Benedictine monastery and converted to the Cistercian order within two decades. The building survived the French Revolution when its church began serving as a wine storage space instead of a place of worship.

The name Valmagne means "valley of healing," reflecting its spiritual purpose over centuries, and visitors can sense the quiet rhythm of monastic life in the cloisters today. The vaulted spaces and stone corridors still shape how people move through and experience the place.

The grounds are open on most days, though hours vary by season, so it helps to check before visiting. You can walk through the church, cloister, and surrounding areas at your own pace and enjoy the transition between spaces.

The church interior was converted into a wine storage space during the French Revolution and still holds large wooden barrels instead of religious furnishings today. This unusual function actually saved the building from destruction and created an odd combination of sacred architecture and practical storage.

Location: Villeveyrac

Inception: 12 century

Architectural style: Gothic architecture

Address: Abbaye Valmagne, 34560 Villeveyrac, France

Opening Hours: Monday-Friday 14:00-18:00; Saturday-Sunday 10:00-19:00

Phone: +33467780609

Website: https://valmagne.com

GPS coordinates: 43.48694,3.56228

Latest update: December 7, 2025 20:46