Abbaye de Montmajour

Abbaye de Montmajour Review

This magnificent Romanesque abbey looming over the marshlands north of Arles stands in partial ruin. Begun in the 12th century by a handful of Benedictine monks, it grew according to an ambitious plan of church, crypt, and cloister. Under the management of corrupt lay monks in the 17th century, it grew more sumptuous; when those lay monks were ejected by the Church, they sacked the place. After the Revolution it was sold to a junkman, and he tried to pay the mortgage by stripping off and selling its goods. A 19th-century medieval revival spurred its partial restoration, but its 18th-century portions are still in ruins. Ironically, because of this mercenary history, what remains is a spare and beautiful piece of Romanesque architecture. The cloister rivals that of St-Trophime in Arles for its balance, elegance, and air of mystical peace: Van Gogh was drawn to its womblike isolation and came often to the abbey to paint and reflect. The interior, renovated by Rudi Ricciotti, is now used for temporary art exhibitions, and the Chapelle St Croix is open for visits—you just need to ask for the keys.