ST. PETER'S ABBEY

You have to cross the Sarthe to admire, from the right bank, a few kilometers from Sablé-sur-Sarthe, all the beauty and power of this 11th and 16th century abbey whose architecture is inspired by that of Mont Saint-Michel. A breathtaking view and not to be missed under any circumstances if your steps lead you to the Sarthe. Every day, the faithful or simply the curious come to attend the services and thus appreciate all the beauty of the Gregorian chants that have made the reputation of this abbey, whose heavy past does not prevent it from being still very much alive. Majestic and imposing, this architectural jewel encloses a world of peace and meditation.

Through the centuries, the history of the abbey has unfolded alongside the Great History. In its 1,000 years of existence, it has been a privileged witness to the most important events in French history. It could have been destroyed during the Hundred Years War. Plundered and burned, the Saint-Pierre abbey was not destroyed and was able to begin its reconstruction, even though the region was ravaged and economically devastated. The monastery also experienced the commendation regime, a period during which the king appointed some of his subjects to head abbeys and priories in order to thank them. The individuals in question, sometimes laymen, then personally collected the revenues of the monasteries. This regime, which lasted until 1664, was considered decadent because it saw the elevation to the head of devotional places of people more concerned with serving the Church than the Church itself. During the French Revolution, the abbeys were emptied and the monks disappeared. The monasteries of the Order of St. Benedict, one of the oldest in Christianity, were suppressed by a decree signed in 1790. The monks who refused to break their vows were taken prisoner. Emptied of its occupants, the abbey of Solesmes became the country house of a private individual, and the archives of the monastery were burned. It was not until 1833 that the monks returned to Solesmes. A young monk of 28 years, Prosper Guéranger, who became the restorer of the Benedictine order in France, rebuilt the abbey of Solesmes. He bought it back and saved it from demolition, sparing it the unfortunate fate of many abbeys that were partially or totally destroyed. Prosper Guéranger resumed a monastic life there alongside young priests. He sought to reconnect with the tradition of the Church and undertook, in particular, the restoration of Gregorian chant: according to him, a well-cared-for liturgy was one of the ways to rediscover the heart of the Church and to involve the faithful. The Abbey of Saint-Pierre de Solesmes is today one of the high places of Gregorian chant. As the monastic community grew, the monastery's contemplative life was resumed and its influence increased. Since then, the Abbey of Saint-Pierre de Solesmes has never ceased to be active: behind these stones erected more than 1,000 years ago, there are still about fifty monks who lead a life of silence, prayer and work. They dedicate their lives to God in this exceptional place, whose beauty and serenity encourage meditation. The time of the Benedictine monks is divided between prayer, work and the safeguarding of the spiritual and architectural heritage of which they are the heirs.

Because it is still in activity, the abbey cannot be visited in its entirety. Nevertheless, there are several ways to discover it and learn more about its history. For example, you can attend the services, which take place every day at fixed times (7:30 am, 10 am, 1 pm, 1:50 pm, 5 pm, 8:30 pm) and which are sung in Gregorian, and take advantage of the opportunity to look at the small exhibition devoted to the history of the abbey and monastic life. It is also possible to share the daily life of the monks by taking part in a retreat. You can stay either in the abbey itself (if you are a man) or in small houses in the village of Solesmes.

Otherwise, to see the cloister, the refectory or the cells where the monks sleep, you will have to be satisfied with watching the videos put online on the abbey's website, which present these places. Only the abbey church is open to the public every day. Its oldest part dates back to the original building, built in the 11th century. Initially, the abbey church had two aisles which were destroyed and walled up during the Hundred Years' War, before being rearranged with side chapels by Dom Guéranger after the Revolution. Remodeled, rebuilt and restored over the centuries, the abbey church today offers a journey into the past: in particular, one can admire the stained glass windows of the chapels dating from the 1930s, some of which (those in the Sacred Heart chapel, the largest) were made from drawings by Maurice Denis. In the nave, which is considered the oldest part of the church since it is dated between the 11th and 15th centuries, stands a statue of St. Peter made in the 15th century. Finally, in the transept, do not miss the two magnificent statues of the Saints of Solesmes, sculpted in the 15th and 16th centuries. We don't know who the authors were: their names disappeared in the flames during the Revolution, along with the abbey's archives, which thus remain a mystery.