Video: Abbaye de Fontenay

The Abbey at Fontenay was founded in 1118 by St-Bernard. Situated at the bottom of a remote valley, this large Cistercian monastery near Montbard is noteworthy for its rather simple, austere style and its no-frills architecture. Having been ravaged and abandoned during the French Revolution, and later serving time as a paper factory, the Abbey has been so carefully restored that it is now the most complete remaining medieval monastery. As testimony to the monastery’s desire to be self-sufficient, the complex includes cloisters, dormitories, outbuildings, fish basins, bakery, mill, forge, and even a prison.