Joyenval Abbey, 13th-century Premonstratensian monastery in Chambourcy, France
Joyenval is a 13th-century Premonstratensian monastery founded to serve the religious community in the Marly Forest region. Stone fragments of the original abbey church remain visible within the modern golf course grounds where the complex once stood.
The monastery was founded in 1224 by Barthélemy de Roye, a high official under King Philip II of France. It was established near the fortress of Montjoye in the Marly Forest and developed as a major religious community.
The abbey became an important pilgrimage site after receiving the relics of Saint Bartholomew in 1261. Visitors came regularly for religious ceremonies and gatherings that shaped spiritual life in the region.
The ruins are situated within a golf course and are viewable from the surrounding grounds without needing to access the golf club directly. The site is relatively secluded, so plan your visit carefully and allow time to locate the exact position of the remains.
The canons maintained a town house in Paris on a street that would later become known as Rue des Orfèvres, showing how the community extended its influence beyond the monastery walls. This Parisian property connected the rural abbey to the heart of the kingdom's capital.
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