Founded in 990 by Emma of Blois, daughter of the famous Thibault the Trickster, theBourgueil Abbey has over 1000 years of history Duchess of Aquitaine after her marriage, she founded this abbey on the basis of a small priory, which she endowed with assets from her personal fortune. Very impressive, the first abbey church then included a seven-story high towerIn 1156, Henry II Plantagenet held the Estates General of his provinces there.
At the beginning of the 13th century, Pope Innocent III placed Bourgeuil Abbey under his direct protection. A Gothic church was built there in 1246 before Charles V ordered the entire site to be fortified after the town was ravaged by the English.
Many prominent figures have stayed in Bourgueil over the centuries: Anne of Brittany spent a night there in 1491 before his wedding at Langeais Castle, Catherine de Medici and Charles IX visited in 1565, and Rabelais He drew inspiration from it for the writing of Gargantua.
1622 This is an important year for the abbey. Jean d'Estampes becomes its abbot and fbuilt the abbey castle before his nephew Henri razed the 12th-century buildings to rebuild entirely new ones in the Maurist style. Further construction began a century later, in 1730. Bourgueil Abbey then experienced one of its most glorious periods. Of course, this was short-lived, as the Revolution soon came knocking at the monks' door. Their last representative, Guillaume de Luzerne, was a deputy to the Estates-General and would become, twice, President of the National Assembly. In 1791, the abbey was sold as national property. A gendarmerie, a courthouse, and a military hospital were then established there; all traces of the site's religious past were carefully erased and defaced.
In 1828, the abbey was sold; the Sisters of Saint-Martin take possession of the premises and embark on a meticulous restoration of the castle, part of which was demolished during the Revolution to be resold stone by stone. At the end of the 19th century, the Sisters numbered a little over 200! They cared for the sick, welcomed retirees and gave catechism classes.
In 2021, a The company was created by Frédéric de Beauvoir and Fabienne Rousseau, who opened the premises to the public. and threw themselves wholeheartedly into developing a major cultural center. Today, you can discover the history of the Abbey thanks to fascinating guided tours But you can also attend film screenings, shows, participate in art workshops and admire beautiful exhibitions while taking advantage of the on-site catering and accommodation! Quite a program!
