A little history of Beaulieu-en-Rouergue abbey

An old Cistercian abbey, in middle of Tarn-et-Garonne departement...

The "Rouergue" is an old province located in Southern France: in fact, it's the current Aveyron...

In 1144, saint Bernard sent 12 monks from Clairvaux abbey, here, in order to found an abbey. They called it Beaulieu, which means "beautiful place"!

Thanks to money and donations rich lords of Rodez and Bruniquel made, the abbey quickly expanded... until the French Revolution, where it was sold.

The church was ruined, its roof destroyed in 1840. In 1875, it was listed as a Monument Historique and they restored it.

Transformed into a farm in the 19th century, the French Nation owned it and they created a modern art museum.

Well, next to the church, we found the cloister (beginning of the 14th century, demolished in the 19th century) and different buildings.

The southern wing housed rooms and refectory, entirely rebuilt in the 17th century. The Western building (13th century) housed a vaulted cellar and monk's dormitory, transformed into a guest house in the 17th century. To the south, we found gardens, a pond, mill and dovecote.