Bonnefont Abbey, Cistercian monastery in Proupiary, France
Bonnefont Abbey is a former Cistercian complex in southern France featuring an intact entrance gate, a lay brothers' building, and a partially reconstructed chapter house. The site near Saint-Martory preserves the main structures of the medieval religious community that once stood here.
The monastery was founded in 1137 by monks from Morimond Abbey and grew into an influential community that established six daughter abbeys. The site was dissolved and its buildings dismantled after the French Revolution.
The garden displays medicinal plants and farming techniques that reflect how the monks lived and worked in this community. Visitors can observe the kinds of plants and methods that shaped daily life here centuries ago.
The site is open during summer months and visitors can explore the grounds with guided tours that cover both history and gardens. It is best to check visiting times in advance, as groups are kept to a manageable size.
Stones and architectural materials from the abbey were quarried and scattered across the region for limestone production after it closed. This means elements of the original complex are found in scattered locations rather than all in one place.
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