Photo : Aubussonais / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Abbaye Notre-Dame de Fontgombault
The Abbey of Notre-Dame de Fontgombault is in the Creuse valley, in the Brenne, in the Indre. Founded in the 11th century, it was taken over in 1948 by Benedictine monks of the Solesmes congregation, who have since led a life of prayer and Gregorian chant here.
The Romanesque abbey church is one of the most important religious buildings in the Brenne, notable for its east end with an ambulatory and radiating chapels. It has been listed as a historic monument since 1862.
As the monastery is active, only the church is open to visitors, outside the times of services. The services, sung in Gregorian chant, are open to the public. A shop sells monastic craft products from the abbey and other monasteries, and the community also welcomes retreatants drawn by the calm of the place.
