Dedicated to the Virgin Mary, this monastery, founded in 1047 by Geoffroy Martel and his wife, Agnès de Bourgogne was the first convent in Saintonge. It was regarded with prestige up until the Revolution when the Benedictines were forced out.Only the Notre-Dame Church from the 11th and 12th Centuries survived. The arched portal and the steeple columns represent magnificent examples of Saintonge Romanesque art.In the 17th century convent buildings , a permanent exhibition traces back the history of the site. The abbey steeple offers a magnificent view of the Saintes rooftops.The Abbey is now a member of the prestigious Cultural Centre Group which organises the Saintes Festival in July.
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