Tucked discreetly into the Forêt de Fontenay, the Abbey de Fontenay is the oldest surviving Cistercian foundation in France. Its history is told by its buildings – the sublime, austere Romanesque church built in 1140, 12^th century cloisters and an early Gothic chapterhouse, a 13^th century bakery, an unheated dormitory with a 15^th century timber roof where the monks slept in rows on straw mattresses, a 17^th century circular dovecote, abbot’s lodgings and a kennel where the precious hunting dogs of the Dukes of Burgundy were guarded by servants. The abbey was founded in 1118 by St. Bernard, once a young Burgundian nobleman who joined the Cistercians when the order was still small and obscure. The monks turned their back on the elaborate lifestyle of Benedictines and renounced the world, espousing poverty and simplicity of life. During Bernard’s lifetime the Cistercians became one of the largest orders, and famous, too. Part of this success is due to Bernard’s skills as a writer, theologian and statesman. Through his powerful personality Bernard reinforced the poverty rule and rejected all forms of embellishment. In 1174, only 21 years after his death, he was canonized. As for the abbey, it thrived for 600 years in self-sufficiency, with a scriptorium for copying manuscripts, herb garden for concocting medicines, infirmary for healing the sick, and a forge for producing tools and hardware. The abbey was also supported by the local aristocracy and remained in use up until the French Revolution when it was sold and converted into a paper mill. In 1906 it came under new ownership and the modern factory was dismantled and the abbey restored to its original appearance.

Seville