luxury real estate for sale Epernay, France (page 3)

The advertiser did not provide an english description for this listing.

The advertiser did not provide an english description for this listing.

The advertiser did not provide an english description for this listing.

The advertiser did not provide an english description for this listing.

The advertiser did not provide an english description for this listing.

A former Cistercian abbey with guest houses and 9 hectares of grounds, half an hour from Epernay in the Champagne region. Founded in 1142 by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, the Cistercian abbey was built around the hermitage of Blessed Hugh the Hermit. It was named 'Notre Dame du Reclus' in memory of the holy hermit who came here to lead an isolated life in 1128, soon to be joined by a few companions wishing to imitate his example and share his solitude. They lived in 'seclusion', away from the world, isolated from villages and people, devoting themselves to prayer and meditation, in a spirit of penitence and contemplation. In 1567, during the French Wars of Religion, the monastic complex suffered considerable damage, losing half of its buildings, including the abbey church, which was destroyed and burnt down. Where the nave once stood, the abbots subsequently erected their own residence and the church was rebuilt in 1770. With the abolition of all monasteries, the French Revolution dealt a fatal blow to the religious history of 'Le Reclus' and the abbey was sold as a national property. Restoration work began in 1928 and the complex that can be seen today is almost completely rehabilitated. Surrounded by a stone wall and patiently restored over several decades by its current owner, the abbey forms a true hamlet with numerous outbuildings, almost all of which have been converted into gîtes (guest houses). The park features an open spring and finishes in a wood.