DK Travel : Provence and Côte d'Azur : Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque

Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque

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Surrounded by the purple lavender fields of the Luberon, the grey stone façade of the lovely Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque emanates tranquillity, but its past is anything but peaceful. Founded in 1148, Sénanque’s golden age was the 13th century, when its ownership of several local farms brought new wealth. But in 1544 it was torched by the heretic Vaudois (see Vaucluse), in 1580 it was stricken by the plague, and by the 17th century only two monks were left in the crumbling building. The French Revolution and the anti-monastic laws of the 19th century were equally unkind, but since the 1970s, the abbey’s fortunes have been restored by the patronage of the Association des Amis de Sénanque, and five monks now live here permanently.
For more places of worship in Provence (see Places of Worship)

Top 10 Features

1. Cloister

The dove-grey limestone columns of the cloister, decorated with delicate carvings of leaves, flowers and vines, are superb works of craftsmanship, dating from between 1180 and 1220.
2. Refectory

The Vaudois, would-be reformers of the Catholic church, attacked Sénanque and partly destroyed it in 1544. The refectory was rebuilt in the 17th century and has now been restored in its original style.
3. Nave and Transept

The barrel-vaulted nave and aisles of Sénanque are five bays long, and three stone steps lead from the nave to the square crossing, with its eight-sided dome. One of four altars is original.
4. Apse

The three windows of the raised, semi-circular apse symbolize the Holy Trinity.
5. Calefactory

The calefactory is symbolic of St Bernard’s injunctions against luxury: this one heated room enabled monks to read and write without freezing.
6. Tomb of the Seigneur de Venasque

In a corner of the east arm of the transept, a small tomb-stone marks the grave of the 13th-century Lord of Venasque, the abbey’s former patron.
7. Dormitory

The monks’ dormitory is a huge, vaulted space, paved with flagstones which have been polished by centuries of use. Arched windows at regular intervals along its walls and two large, circular windows at each end make the room light and airy.
8. Chapterhouse

The walls of the square chapterhouse, the abbey’s assembly room, are lined with stone seats. Here the monks sat each day to hear the abbot read a chapter from the Rule of St Bernard or a sermon from the Bible.
9. Channels

The Cistercians came to this plateau seeking isolation, and built their abbey next to the region’s only river, the Senancole. They channelled the water to flow through and under the abbey, providing sanitation, and irrigation for the gardens.
10. Lavender Gardens

The Abbaye Notre- Dame de Sénanque is surrounded by fields of lavender which make a spectacular setting for the buildings in summer.

Practical Information

The most striking approach to Sénanque is from Gordes, with a perfect panorama of the abbey as the road descends into the craggy valley in which Sénanque stands. 04 90 72 05 72 www.senanque.fr Open only for guided tours (in French) Phone to arrange Closed mid-Jan, Good Friday, 25 Dec Adm €5.00