Vestige of the XNUMXth century Cistercian abbey (Romanesque cloister, abbey church, lay brothers' buildings, square tower, refectory... in a bucolic setting). Neo-Romanesque church with superb contemporary stained glass windows by Louis-René Petit.
Description
Mazan Abbey was the first Cistercian abbey established in Vivarais in the 1119th century. It had the largest church ever built in Vivarais. Founded between 1123 and XNUMX, it has left magnificent remains, partly restored.
The remains of this Cistercian abbey offer a good reading of what this monastic complex was.
The site is easily discovered by the road which overhangs it. Come closer, the view from "above" does not at first sight reveal the size of the abbey. You have to go down and enter the monastic enclosure to get an idea of the organization and size of the different spaces.
The abbey is located in the eponymous village, the few houses which compose it still make it possible to realize the original site, "lost" in the mountain, nestled in the hollow of the relief.
The abbey of Mazan benefits from restoration work which reinforces it by “small touches. We can say that this site is well structured as it appears today, it is easy to access, its remains offer a good understanding of monastic spaces (this is facilitated by guided tours), the existence of an inn near the site enriches the offer of discovery.
Site registered with the Pôle d'Economie du Patrimoine.
The Mazan abbey site now hosts a work of contemporary art which is part of the Artistic Parcours du Partage des Eaux (contemporary open-air art trail in the Monts d'Ardèche, several sites located along the geographical area of the Watershed were chosen to host a work of art). Created by the artist Felice Varini and entitled "A circle and a thousand fragments", the work unfolds on the walls and roofs of the abbey as well as on the bridge, the inn and the old fortifications which surround it, thus recreating a setting commensurate with this prestigious site. The artist chose to work with gold leaf, mineral on mineral. He thus explores the capacities of this natural material to capture the variations of light on the stone. From a precise point of view, the gold leaf draws a frame starting from a single perfect circle surrounded by fragments of circles at regular intervals.
Opening
All year, every day.
Free access all year round.
Guided tour on request.
We also offer:
Prices
| Rates not disclosed. Paid guided tour. |
Location