Abbaye Notre-Dame de la Chaume, Benedictine abbey in Machecoul-Saint-Même, France
Abbaye Notre-Dame de la Chaume is a former Benedictine monastery in western France with partially preserved building structures and boundary walls. The most impressive surviving feature is a cylindrical dovecote at the center of the grounds, which once housed hundreds of bird pairs and can still be visited today.
The monastery was founded in 1055 during a period of competition among powerful regional abbeys for influence. It was dissolved in 1767, ending more than 700 years of Benedictine life at the site.
The name derives from a medieval term for straw, reflecting humble origins as a simple religious community. Visitors today can still sense this connection to the past through the remaining foundations and walls that speak to the site's spiritual heritage.
The dovecote requires advance reservation to visit and must be arranged through the local tourism office beforehand. The site sits roughly 500 meters from Machecoul train station, making it accessible by public transportation.
Two circular windows from the original structure still survive and offer rare glimpses into the medieval chapter house architecture. These rounded openings allow today's visitor to understand the room layout and lighting that once illuminated monks during their daily gatherings.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
