Abbey of Notre-Dame de la Clarté-Dieu
Claritas Dei / Claritate
(Saint-Paterne-Racan, Indre-et-Loire)
The Cistercian abbey of la Clarté-Dieu was founded from 1239 onwards at the initiative of the Bishop of Winchester, Pierre des Roches († 1238), who was originally from Touraine. The abbot of Notre-Dame de l’Épau (Sarthe) also took part in the enterprise. The founding bishop had provided the financial endowment required to establish the monastery in his native region, while Abbot Jean de l’Épau acquired the lands intended for the foundation. In 1240, when the first monks arrived, the site took the name of Clarté-Dieu.
In 1243, the foundation was approved by the Cistercian Order, and the new monastery was placed under the direct authority of the abbey of Cîteaux (Côte-d’Or), without taking into account the involvement of l’Épau. In 1248, it received the approval of Louis IX of France (1214-1270). Slightly more than a century after its foundation, in 1364, the house was plundered and burned during an episode of the Hundred Years’ War. However, its decline became more pronounced from 1531 onwards, when the commendatory regime was introduced. During the seventeenth century, La Clarté-Dieu still served as a provincial novitiate. In 1768, the community was reduced to only four monks.
As a consequence of the Revolution, in 1791 the five monks who still resided there were forced to leave the monastery, which passed into private hands. The church was soon demolished in order to reuse its ashlar stone, although the destruction of the remaining buildings was eventually halted, and the site was converted into an agricultural estate. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, the arrival of new owners led to conservation and restoration work on the surviving medieval structures.
Remains of the church
Location of the cloister
Affiliation of La Clarté-Dieu
According to Originum Cisterciensium (L. Janauschek, 1877)Abbey of La Clarté-Dieu / 1240
Cellar
Novices' refectory
Tomb of a knight of the Alluye family (c. 1258-c. 1267)
From this monastery
The Cloisters, New York
Sepulcre d'un cavaller de la família Alluye (c. 1258-c. 1267)
Procedent del monestir
The Closters, Nova York
According to Armorial général de France (18th century)
Bibliothèque nationale de France
- BAUDRILLART, Alfred (1953). Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie ecclésiastiques. Vol. 12. París: Letouzey et Ané
- BESSE, Jean-Martial (1920). Abbayes et prieurés de l'ancienne France, vol. 8, Tours. París : Picard
- CARRÉ DE BUSSEROLLE, Jacques-Xavier (1879). Dictionnaire géographique, historique et biographique d'Indre-et-Loire et de l'ancienne province de Touraine. Vol. II. Tours: Rouillé-Ladevèze
- JANAUSCHEK, Leopoldus (1877). Originum Cisterciensium. Vol. 1. Viena
- OURY, Guy (2000). Le fondateur de la Clarté-Dieu, et les tourangeaux au service des Plantagenêts d'Angleterre. Bulletin de la Société archéologique de Touraine, vol. 45. Tours
- ROBERT, Pierre (1979). L'abbaye de la Clarté-Dieu (Commune de Saint-Paterne-Racan). Bulletin de la Société archéologique de Touraine, vol. 38. Tours
- 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.
- TOURNADRE, Franck (2004). L'abbaye de La Clarté-Dieu : un grand chantier gothique en Touraine. Bulletin de la Société archéologique de Touraine, núm. 50. Tours
- TOURNADRE, Franck (2018). Des convers dans les ailes occidentales cisterciennes ? L’exemple de l’abbaye de La Clarté-Dieu (Indre-et-Loire). Regards croisés sur le monument médiéval. Brepols
The abbey of La Clarté-Dieu belongs to the commune of Saint-Paterne-Racan, situated northwest of Tours, on the road to Le Mans