Abbaye de Saint-Florent-le-Vieil, Benedictine abbey on Mont-Glonne in Mauges-sur-Loire, France.

The Abbaye de Saint-Florent-le-Vieil stands at Mauges-sur-Loire, its abbey church built on its present site in the 14th century and partly rebuilt in the 17th under the Maurist congregation. A square tower with a dark pyramidal roof, clock and round window rises beside a facade crowned by a curved pediment and stone cross; inside, pale stone pillars carry pointed arches and a vaulted ceiling above dark wooden pews.

In the 4th century the hermit Florent of Anjou settled on the Mont Glonne promontory and founded a church with his disciples. A monastic church dedicated to the Holy Saviour was built in the late 7th century, and under Abbot Abaldus at the end of the 8th century a community began to organise around a rule. In 853 Vikings plundered and burned the monastery; the monks fled with their relics, and the community later reformed near Saumur as Saint-Florent-le-Jeune, while Mont Glonne became a priory. The present abbatial church was built in the 14th century.

The abbatial church holds a monument to General Bonchamps sculpted by David d'Angers. Stained glass windows inside illustrate events from the Vendée Wars and give the space its visual character.

The grounds are accessible during daytime hours, and visitors should be prepared for uneven terrain and steps since the hilltop location involves steep paths. Guided tours are a good way to learn more about the history and architectural details at your own pace.

The abbey church became a prison during the Vendée War: some 5,000 republican prisoners were held there before Charles de Bonchamps granted them pardon on 18 October 1793. His tomb, carved by David d'Angers in 1825, stands inside the church. The monastic buildings, sold in three lots after the Revolution, now host cultural events and contemporary art exhibitions.