Abbaye de Boulaur (Gers)

Located in the Occitanie region of France, Boulaur Abbey is a splendid abbey, once a representative of the Fontevraud religious order. A veritable economic, agricultural and spiritual center in the Gascony region, the abbey held remarkable influence until the 20th century, a period of exile for the nuns who lived there.

Since the mid-20th century, the abbey has been reinvested by Cistercian nuns who have undertaken breathing new life into the building. With close ties to Cistercian communities in the United States, the Mother Abbess and Sister Diane were invited by the Cistercian brothers of Our Lady of Dallas for a fraternal visit and a moment of exchange around French heritage.

Founded in 1142, the abbey, built in the fontevriste style, is fortified by buttresses all along its apse and abbey church. The edifice is a splendid blend of styles, influences and periods, including the Renaissance, visible in the nave bays. Below the bell tower, vaults and bays also evince Romanesque and Gothic influences. Splendid 14th-century frescoes adorn the choir vaults. In the 17th and 18th centuries, parts of the abbey were modified, and a cloister was also built.

You can read an article written by Victoria Estivalezes, FHS Deputy Director, about the community of the Abbaye de Boular in English or French.

Restoration of a 14th century diaphragm arch-vaulted room in order to relocate the existing library.

$30,000

FHS Paris & Northern California Chapters

2024