Abbey of Beaulieu-lès-Loches
Bellus Locus / Trinité de Beaulieu
(Beaulieu-lès-Loches, Indre-et-Loire)
The Benedictine monastery of Beaulieu-lès-Loches was founded at the initiative of the count of Anjou, Fulk III Nerra (c. 970-1040). During the first half of the 11th century, the count enlarged his residence, a castle and palace, which he possessed at Loches. Near that castle stood the site of Beaulieu where, on an uncertain date — perhaps around 1007 —, Folc founded this monastery, endowing it with lands and privileges. The monastic church is said to have been consecrated in 1010, dedicated to the Trinity.
In 1040, the count died at Metz while returning from a journey to the Holy Land, and his body was buried at Beaulieu. In connection with this, it should be noted that the monastery possessed several relics from the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. After a long period of prosperity, the instability caused by the Hundred Years’ War directly affected both the region and this house from the 14th century onward. In 1412, the abbey was plundered and burned, and it never recovered its former prosperity.
The reconstruction of the church was carried out only partially and, today, it preserves the first three bays of the nave. Its recovery was not helped either by the introduction of the commendatory regime or by the Wars of Religion of the 16th century. In 1662, the congregation of Saint-Maur was introduced there and maintained monastic life at Beaulieu until the Revolution, when the house was suppressed. Today, part of the monastic church survives, together with other later buildings.
North wall of the nave
The church was built in the 11th century, although it underwent modifications from the second half of that same century onward. The resulting building was of considerable size, with three aisled naves of nine bays and a transept. A large bell tower was erected on the north side of the western end of the nave. In the central apse lies the chancel, of the same width as the central nave, surrounded by an ambulatory connected with the side aisles and opening onto three radiating chapels. The transept has two apses, one in each arm.
Much of the eastern part was rebuilt after the destruction caused during the 15th century, in the course of the Hundred Years’ War, but only the first bays of the nave could be completed, owing to the Wars of Religion. A new façade was built for this shortened church and the bell tower was also preserved, connected to the rest of the building by the north wall. In the cloister there was a cistern topped by a pyramidal tower dating from the foundation period, which has also disappeared.
Veüe de l'abbaye de la S.te Trinité de beaulieu prez la Ville de Loches
Louis Boudan, 1699
Bibliothèque nationale de France
Detail of Veüe des villes et chasteau de Loches et de Beaulieu
Louis Boudan, 1699
Bibliothèque nationale de France
Detail of Veüe des villes et chasteau de Loches et de Beaulieu
Louis Boudan, 1699
Bibliothèque nationale de France
Tomb of Fulk III Nerra, the founder
Now lost
Bibliothèque nationale de France
Pyramidal tower of the cloister, now disappeared
Illustration from Un dessin original de la pyramide de l'Abbaye de Beaulieu
Abbayes et monastères (1870)
- ARCHAMBAULT, L. (1874). Histoire de l’abbaye et de la ville de Beaulieu près Loches. Revue historique, littéraire et archéologique de l’Anjou. Angers
- BESSE, Jean-Martial (1920). Abbayes et prieurés de l'ancienne France, vol. 8, Tours. París : Picard
- BOULAY DE LA MEURTHE, M. (1879). Un dessin original de la pyramide de l'Abbaye de Beaulieu. Bulletin de la Société archéologique de Touraine. Tours
- CAMUS, Marie-Thérèse (1997). L'abbatiale de beaulieu-lès-Loches. Nouvelles propositions. Congrès archéologique de France, 155ss. Société française d'archéologie
- CARRÉ DE BUSSEROLLE, Jacques-Xavier (1878). Dictionnaire géographique, historique et biographique d'Indre-et-Loire et de l'ancienne province de Touraine. Vol. I. Tours: Rouillé-Ladevèze
- FOULON, Jean-Hervé (2005). Stratégies politiques, fondation monastique et recours à Rome vers l’an Mil : le cas de Beaulieu-lès-Loches. Revue historique, 634/2
- GAUTIER, Edmond (1871). Procès-verbal des fouilles faites pour retrouver le tombeau de Foulques Nerra. Bulletin de la Société archéologique de Touraine. Vol. 1. Tours
- GUILLOT, Olivier (1972). La consécration de l'abbaye de Beaulieu-lès-Loches. Mémoires de la Société archéologique de Touraine
- HARDION, J.; i altres (1911). Étude archéologique sur l'église de Beaulieu-lès-Loches. Congrès archéologique de France, 77 ss. Société française d'archéologie
- NOBILLEAU, Paul (1868). Notice sur l'abbaye de Beaulieu-les-Loches. Tours: Mazereau
- OURY, Guy-Marie (1988). Les origines monastiques de l'abbaye de Beaulieu-lès-Loches. Bulletin de la Société archéologique de Touraine, vol. 42
- SAINT-MAUR, Congregació de (1856). Gallia Christiana in provincias ecclesiasticas distributa. Vol. 14. París: Typographia Regia
- SEMUR, François-Christian (2011). Abbayes de Touraine. La Crèche: Geste Ed.
- VALLERY-RADOT, Jean (1949). L'ancienne église abbatiale de Beaulieu-lès-Loches. Congrès archéologique de France. 106 ss. Tours. Société française d'archéologie
The notable remains of the former monastery are located at Beaulieu-lès-Loches, east of Loches