Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay

Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay, France was established initially in the year 1118 as a daughter house of Clairvaux. It was one of the four foundations of the Cistercian Abbeys. The Abbey, later in 1139 had moved to a more prominent site down the valley.

Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay, France is located in the commune of Montbard which is in the departement of Cote-d'Or in France. Situated in a small forested valley, lying 60 km northwest of Dijon, this Abbey attained great prosperity in the 12th and 13th centuries. Fontenay enjoyed the protection provided by the Kings of France.

During the era of the French Revolution, the Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay, France remained closed and became a paper mill up till 1902. All this period the Abbey had been operated by the Montgolfier family. Later in 1905, the Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay at France was bought by Edouard Aynard who also restored it. It retains almost all its original buildings like the church, cloister, dormitory, chapter house, the heating room or the caldarium, forge and the dovecote. All these were built in the Romanesque style which further enhances the beauty of the Abbey.

At present, the Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay in France is set in modern manicured parterres of lawn and gravel. In the year 1981, it became the World Heritage Site of UNESCO and is one of the oldest and complete Cistercian Abbeys in Europe. From the year 1139 to 1147, the church of the abbey was constructed and was dedicated by Pope Eugene III in 1147. Its nave is eight meters wide and sixty six meters long. There are two aisles and a transept measuring 19 m. the cloister measures up to 36x 38m. The large dormitory of the Abbey is roofed with 15th century chestnut timbers. Apart from this the chapterhouse of the abbey is vaulted with heavy ribs. During your France tours, you should make it a point to visit this place.