The church was built thanks to the donations of Guillaume de Montmirail, a local lord who offered in 1132 a part of his domain to a group of monks from the Monastic Order of Chalais. Ten years later, the Chalais community built the abbatial church and the monastic buildings which surround it. The monks settled in the abbey until the 13th century, when it became a Benedictine church. Sold as national property in 1791, the abbey now hosts the Saint-Dominic community.
Boscodon Bodin B 1 LightBoscodon Bodin B 1 Light
Boscodon Abbey
A masterpiece of Romanesque art
The various buildings that make up the Abbey of Notre-Dame de Boscodon are typical of the Romanesque architecture. It is characterized by the extreme simplicity chosen in the elaboration and the construction of the elements, which gives it similarities with primitive Cistercian art. Purification and geometry are the watchwords of this abbatial church, which does not mean that the buildings respect perfect symmetry. The objective of this architecture is to bring harmony, balance and light to the building: it is a way for the sanctuary to mix human and divine. It is also said that the construction of the church reminds of the golden ratio, also known under the name of divine proportion.
In general, the architecture of the abbey is stripped of frills. The structure is raw, both in the church and in the chapel. The traditional stained-glass windows and sculptures make way to the stone in its most natural appearance, a stone from the quarries located near the forest of Boscodon.
The different elements respect the golden ratio, the geometry and the repetition: for example, the 7 vaults of the church echo the 7 days of the week. The church, that is the initial and principal monument of the abbey, is established in the shape of cross. Thereby, the straight lines of the cross make the balance with the curves of the vaults. This duality of curves is also present between the chapel and the sacristy. Squares, circles, triangles and rectangles are many simple geometric shapes used for a refined establishment dedicated to meditation and religion. It is this extreme starkness that makes this abbey a place of peace and meditation for monks and visitors from all over France.
A place of worship and life
After a process of restoration of more than 40 years, the abbey not only became again the place of worship and monastic life it was at the origin, but it also became progressively a place of sharing and cultural transmission.
The abbey is inhabited by members of the Catholic church belonging to the Saint-Dominic of Boscodon community. The men and women who belong to this community guard the place and participate in the pastoral activities of the diocese. They organise the masses, the services, and also take part in the organisation of cultural events. Indeed, Notre-Dame de Boscodon often receives conferences, debates, but also exhibitions and shows which take part in the life of the place.
The premises of the Dominican community are now separated from the edifice used to welcome the visitors. This way, the abbey can preserve its religious activity, but also welcome numerous activities in the Officer’s wing. This wing is principally used by the association that helped to buy the abbey and to restore it.
Préparez votre visite
The abbey is open all year round. The abbatial church and the abbot’s chapel are in free access.
Various guided tours are also available: museum, cloister, gardens, chapter room, exhibitions, discovery tours (in French, English and Italian), symbolic route or even tours for young audiences with treasure hunts. The abbey also offers visits that are adapted to a public with a physical disability (route adapted for people with motor disabilities, visit in sign language, sensory and tactile visits for the visually impaired and blind persons).
On site, a holiday cottage opens its doors so you can stay and eat as close to the monument as possible.
Access
By car:
In front of the Serre-Pinçon lake, from the N94, take D568 (road that runs along the Boscodon torrent towards the Morgon ridges).
On foot:
The Via Domitia (hiking trail GR 653 D in French) is a secondary route of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela which crosses the cities of Savines-le-Lac and Embrun before going to Crots, giving hikers access to the Boscodon abbey. It is a rewarding stage for hiking lovers.
