Abbaye de Sénanque, Gordes

Notre-Dame de Senanque Abbey sits at the bottom of a narrow valley through which the Senancole flows, in the commune of Gordes, in the Vaucluse. Cistercian monks from Mazan, in the Ardeche, settled there on 23 1148, and the monastery became an abbey in 1150. Nearly nine centuries later, a small community still lives there: Senanque is a working monastery, not merely a monument.

A history of departures and returns

Supported by donations from the families of Simiane and Venasque, the abbey quickly prospered and founded another house as early as 1152. The wealth it accumulated then drew it away from the ideal of poverty, and the 14^th century marked a decline. In 1544, during the Wars of Religion, monks were hanged and the lay brothers' building was destroyed. Sold as national property in 1791, Sénanque escaped demolition thanks to its buyer, who even had it reinforced. The monks returned in 1857, were driven out in 1903, came back in 1926 and left again in 1969. From 1970 to 1988, a meeting centre supported by the industrialist Paul Berliet hosted historians, poets and artists there, among them François Cheng, Edgar Morin and Jean Tinguely. In 1988, a community from the Abbey of Lérins, of which Sénanque is a priory, resumed monastic life. There were six monks in 2022.

Cistercian austerity in stone

Together with Silvacane and Le Thoronet, Senanque forms the "three Provencal sisters" of the Cistercian order. The Romanesque abbey church, built of dressed limestone and roofed with lauzes, follows the line of the valley rather than the usual orientation. A small square belfry crowns the crossing of the transept. The cloister has round-headed arcades on columns with waterleaf capitals. The visit includes the abbey church, the cloister, the monks' dormitory and the chapter house, where the community gathered to read and discuss the Scriptures. The church and cloister have been listed as historic monuments since 1921.

Lavender, prayer and hospitality

Les moines vivent notamment de la culture de la lavande, de la vente de miel et d’essence de lavande, et de leur librairie. Ils tiennent aussi une hôtellerie pour accueillir les personnes qui souhaitent partager leur vie de prière dans le silence. En 2018, la nef du XII^e siècle menaçait de s’effondrer ; un grand appel aux dons a permis de lancer sa consolidation.

What people come to Senanque for

Sénanque is one of the Cistercian abbeys that energy-site enthusiasts put at the top of their lists. Prayer has continued here since 1148, despite interruptions, and the austerity the Cistercians intended no doubt explain part of this reputation. If your visit or a stay in the guesthouse left a particular impression, leave it below.