Visit to SAUMUR area Abbaye de Fontevraud

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Last Friday June 20 we had a fabulous day in the Saumur area. All 3 visits were very unusual, even for France: first to the ABBAYE DE FONTEVRAUD. What a fascinating place! It was started in 1101AD by a "rebel" priest Robert d'Arbrissel who impressed the Pope with his fervour. Being a little too outspoken, he was sent to this wild place that had nothing but a resident bandit. His mandate was to found an order. Not only did he found a new order (that of Fontevraud), but he converted the bandit too!
There were some really unusual things about this abbey. It was and still is the largest cloister in Europe. He decided early on to shelter men, women, and even lepers. His order was based on very strict rules: poverty, chastity, isolation, and silence. He put an abbess in charge--unheard of! All the monks and nuns had to pay absolute obedience to a woman! Of course the men and women were kept strictly separated, as were the lepers and poor. But the abbey flourished--became royal. Arbrissel was answerable only to the King for temporal matters and to the Pope for religious matters.
In Revolution times and right up until 1985, it was used as a prison. During WWII, the Resistance hung out here!
Another unusual thing: King Henry II, his wife--Eleanor of Acquitaine, his son--Richard Lion Heart + Richard's sister-in-law--Isabella of Angouleme (wife of King John) are all buried here. (remember the Robin Hood episodes on TV?) These figures are in the form of gisants (reclining figures). 3 of the figures are in the local stone called TUFFEAU which is very resililant and was originally painted; the the 4th figure is in wood and is painted. This last is the only wooden reclining figure remaining in Europe today from the Middle Ages. The only reason these 4 figures survived the incredible destruction that went on during the religious wars and during the Revolution was that they were housed under a mausoleum roof that protected them from the crumbling walls.
In fact, the entire abbey is amazingly well preserved for its age--testament to being managed by women, perhaps?

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