The Cistercian abbey Notre-Dame-de-Sénanque was founded in the 12th century, along with its two Provençal sisters: the Abbaye du Thoronet and the Abbaye de Silvacane (on the Durance river, 2 km southwest of Cadenet map).


Drive (or hike) north out of the fabulous stone village of Gordes, in this land of bories. The little D177 road, which the GR6 hiking trail follows, passes along a high, rocky ridge , and part of the beautiful view is down into the deep Senancole valley where the abbey sits (photo above).

Stretching out from the abbey buildings is a valley of lavender fields, which are in full flower and fragrance during the summer, and harvested July-Aug. (In 1999, the lavender was mostly cut by the 19th of July.)

The Cistercian order at the abbey flourished until the 16th century, getting wealthier and wealthier, in contradiction to the Benedictine rule of poverty. In 1544, the Vaudois heretics revolted and their first target was Sénanque. The monks were hanged and many of the buildings were destroyed.

The abbey struggled to recover for the next three centuries, changing hands several times during the historical upheavals of the period, such as the Revolution. By 1989, the abbey was again an active monastery.

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Title

Abbaye de Sénanque, 2002

Artist

Neil Plummer

Date

2006

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