The iconic Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque
The Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque is one of the most photographed sites in the Lubéron.
It is traditionally depicted nestled amidst fields of lavender, maritime pines, and centuries-old olive trees, a truly picture-postcard landscape!
The Bishop of Cavaillon founded the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque in 1148 near the hilltop village of Gordes, turning it into a major centre of spirituality.
Indeed, the abbey has always been home to a monastic community dedicated to the rigorous discipline of the Cistercian order. It experienced its golden age in the 13th and 14th centuries, when it operated four mills and owned seven granges, as well as vast estates throughout Provence.
However, it declined during the French Revolution when its monks were expelled, its estate was confiscated, declared state property, and sold to private buyers.
The revival of the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque
However, a new chapter began in 1858 for Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque, when a new community of Cistercian monks returned.
However, they remained there only until 1908, when they were forced to leave the abbey following the 1901 law dictating the expulsion of religious congregations from France.
The abbey remained once more deserted until 1998, when a small group of Cistercian monks returned, this time for good!.
Since then, this dynamic community has breathed new life into their beautiful Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque, generating income by cultivating the land, planting lavender, and keeping bees, as well as by offering guided tours.
Department of Vaucluse
Coordinates: Lat 43.928282 – Long 5.186656
Photos via Wikimedia commons: Header and photo2 by Brice CC BY-SA 3.0 – Photo1 by Michal Osmenda CC BY-SA 2.0
