We went to visit the Abbaye de Fontenay yesterday. The drive was pure Burgundy: white cows, green rolling hills, and picturesque stone villages.
The abbey is 1000 years old and was founded by St. Bernard. It thrived until the French Revolution, when, as usual, all hell broke loose. Before long it was a paper mill.
As is typical of these historic buildings throughout France, this one was taken on by a forward-thinking benefactor and restored to its original condition, which is stunning.
The grounds are so severely pruned and picked over that not a pebble is out of place. With my own backyard labors as a benchmark, I’d say it takes no fewer than a dozen people to keep this place looking so pristine.
Alas, the religious history was lost on me, but I loved the grounds.
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