Abbaye Sainte Marie de Boulaur

A spiritual and economic center of Gascony until the 20th century, the Abbaye de Boulaur is now inhabited by a dynamic Cistercian community that is breathing new life into the building and the region.

Site History & Significance

A former priory of the Fontevrault order, the Abbaye de Boulaur was founded in 1142. Built in the Fontevrist style, the abbey showcases a stunning blend of influences and periods, including the Renaissance, Roman and Gothic. Splendid 14th-century frescoes adorn the choir vaults. The east wing dates to the late 13th century, built with alternating bricks and stones, and was remodeled in the 17th century. In the 17th and 18th centuries, parts of the abbey were modified, and a cloister was built.

A veritable economic, agricultural and spiritual center in the Gascony region, the abbey held remarkable influence until the 20th century, when the nuns who lived there went into exile in Spain following the promulgation of laws expelling congregations. In 1949, it was taken over by a community of Cistercian sisters, who began breathing new life into the building.

About the Restoration Project

The FHS grant supports the restoration of a 13th-century diaphragm arch-vaulted room in the east wing to create a library. Originally conceived as the abbey’s refectory—the reader’s pulpit is still visible—the room was remodeled in the 17th century to accommodate a dormitory on the upper floor. This project will relocate the library to the heart of the abbey, adjacent to the cloister gallery, following the great Cistercian tradition of the scriptorium. A new staircase will also be created to facilitate circulation. This 200-square-meter space will generously accommodate the 50,000 books in the abbey’s collection, including some incunabula, in optimal conditions for conservation and presentation.

Abbaye de Boulaur Today

Today, the abbey is led by a dynamic group of Cistercian nuns who have undertaken numerous projects to raise awareness about their community. The sisters communicate about their daily life on social media, providing insights into everything from spiritual life to restoration work, working the land and meeting with visitors. The abbey is open to the public year-round, and it welcomes visitors to join in the life of the community, whether through weekend work retreats, opportunities for high school and university students to work and pray with the sisters, workdays in the fields and vegetable garden, or tourist visits. These activities are a testament to the community’s desire to make this heritage accessible to all while bringing tourism to the area.