When you arrive in Saintes, you are quickly struck by the atmosphere there. Nestled in a loop of the Charente, in the heart of Saintonge, this small town has all the assets of a great city: from its history to its great cultural dynamism. Welcomed at the Abbaye aux Dames, the objective of these two days is to discover this city and especially this mysterious building thanks to an extraordinary tool called Musicaventure.
An unusual night at the ladies' abbey
Since its foundation in 1047, the Abbaye aux Dames has been a unique place. At its height, it was one of the largest women's monasteries with more than 100 nuns to its credit! Today, the nuns have deserted the abbey to give way to a true open space that has all the attributes of a city... There is a school, accommodation and even a hotel! The former nuns' cells then welcome us for the night in simple and quiet rooms, marked by a past spirituality. A timeless stopover that allows you to discover another facet of the Abbey!
The following day is devoted to the discovery of this extraordinary place, renowned and well named, a musical city. Its cultural influence is no longer to be proven, thanks in particular to the great success of the Saintes festival: it takes place from 14 to 22 July this year. Initially devoted to Bach's music, the festival opens its horizons to his contemporaries: Vivaldi, Handel or Telemann. This event is not only for aesthetes, young and old come to discover the artists in a very friendly atmosphere in the heart of the Abbey!
Musicaventure, an experience to live
Always in this desire to transmit knowledge through music, the Abbey offers a revolutionary and unique tool: Musicaventure. This immersive experience makes it possible to make the link between music and heritage thanks to a 360° sound reality: a real cinema for the ears!
This twelve-step journey begins in the Abbey's shop where we are asked to choose between two itineraries: the heroic journey, recommended for children and families, and the initiatory journey. In the latter, it is the music that guides us and tells us its story in the ear thanks to the headphones provided. What can I say except that the experience is striking: the noises come from above, from below, from the left, from the right... You'd think you were really lost in the Middle Ages!
To complete this day, we recommend that you end with a visit to the bell tower from which the view is breathtaking before taking place in the nave to listen to one of the space concerts recorded during the Saintes festival. No doubt, at the Abbaye aux Dames the music is fully experienced! And it's not over yet, as other experiences await you at the dawn of 2018, such as the carousel, a participatory merry-go-round that will produce a new melody every time you turn. We look forward to it!
Abbey of the ladies, Saintes - Musicaventure: 8€ the route + 2€ for the second trip
Festival de Saintes - from 14 to 22 July 2017. To know more about it
