heritage : Narbonne, twice daughter of Rome
| Van Gogh’s and Gauguin’s paintings versus a medieval cloister: the transaction enabled the Fayet-d’Andoque family to acquire the Abbey. |
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Fontfroide Abbey : miracles and hidden treasure |
During the French Revolution, the Abbey, one of the richest and worldliest in France, escaped the attention of those compiling a list of national property. This was the first “ miracle ”, and allowed the Abbey to avoid the unenviable fate of being used as a stone quarry, like many of its counterparts. The second miracle was the apparition of its first patron, who dissipated his fortune in order to preserve the Abbey from neglect and dereliction in the 19th century. The most recent miracle was its purchase and restoration by Gustave Fayet from Béziers, in 1908. An aesthete and an all-round artist, he corresponded with Gauguin, who addressed him as “ You, the painter… ” He owed his fortune to his 800 hectares of vineyards.
Gustave Fayet, and his wife Madeleine, transformed Fontfroide into a colony of Belle Epoque artists. Bauzil, George-Daniel de Montfreid, Aristide Maillol, the composers Maurice Ravel and Déodat de Séverac all spent time here. Among the visible traces of this period: stained glass windows by a certain René Billa, alias Richard Burgsthal, a mosaic of coloured glass which has recently been painstakingly restored.
The painted panels by Odilon Redon, Day and Night , which adorn the Abbey’s library, are considered to be his most ambitious work. Created in Paris, on Gustave Fayet’s request, they are, unfortunately, currently inaccessible to visitors. However, reproductions are available for viewing and provide some consolation. In 2006, the Fayet room was opened, where the work of the saviour of Fontfroide (notably his extraordinary rugs in the Symbolist style) can be admired.
Have a lunch at the former sheep-fold of Fontfroide:
In this renovated sheep-fold, looking out over the scrubland and the surrounding Fontfroide Massif, the traditional hospitality of the Cistercian Monks is perpetuated. Try one of the chef’s specials: mackerel pie served with crushed tomatoes, caramelised onions and basil. For dessert: spiced apples stewed in the abbey wine.
Prices
: menus 20 € (£15) and 9 € (£7) for children.
Opening hours: Lunch: every day from March 15th to November 9th, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Dinner: from June to August, open from Thursday to Sunday.
At all other times, group bookings only (20 and over).
La Table de Fontfroide. Abbaye de Fontfroide. Tel.: (0033) (0)4 68 41 02 26
Sleep at the former sheep-fold of Fontfroide:
This charming holiday accommodation, at the heart of the Corbières, is located in a small detached house situated at the entrance to Fontfroide abbey, on the grounds of its former farm. It has its own garden.
Rates:
85€ (about £65) per night / 160€ (about £123) on week-end.
La Maison du Pont. Abbaye de Fontfroide. Tel.: (0033) (0)4 68 45 50 66
