Mazan Abbey

A Cistercian abbey founded in the 12th century

About forty kilometres north-west of Aubenas, at an altitude of 1100 metres, Mazan Abbey is a Cistercian abbey. It was founded in the 12th century. After a period of abundance and power, it nevertheless suffered the ravages of man and time. Initially a victim of the Wars of Religion, the abbey church was still intact in the mid-19th century, as were the north and west galleries of the cloister, despite all the vicissitudes of its history.

The destruction of Mazan Abbey

However, incredible as it may seem, the local population used it as a quarry during the construction of the current church in 1843 and of certain houses in the village. It was systematically destroyed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was the largest and certainly one of the most beautiful abbeys in the Vivarais region. It was 52 metres long and 24 metres wide at transept level.

The ruins

Three-quarters of the cloister was damaged and destroyed when it was turned into a communal cemetery, but it was partially cleared and consolidated in 1973. Now listed as a Historic Monument, Mazan Abbey is the focus of meticulous care and a campaign to restore some of its surviving features.

The parish church

The parish church dates back to the 19th century and was built using stone from the abbey. Louis-René Petit, a renowned stained glass artist, created the stained glass windows of this church in 1998.

Route to Mazan Abbey

It’s a 2-hour drive from Mas de la Fontenette, our magnificent gite with swimming pool in the Ardèche gorges, to Mazan. Click on this link or on the image below for the route to Mazan Abbey.