Abbey of Saint-Laumer de Blois

The monastery originally stood outside the town walls, but during the Hundred Years' War new fortifications were built, enclosing it within the city's defensive perimeter. Throughout the 14th century and until the first half of the 16th century, new buildings were added, turning it into a substantial monastic complex. In 1568, the town of Blois and Saint-Laumer Abbey were affected by the French Wars of Religion. The Huguenots occupied the monastery, leaving it in ruins; the church was burned and the monastic buildings were severely damaged. During the 17th and 18th centuries, after the Maurists took charge of the monastery, it was restored.

The present church is the result of the successive alterations made to the 12th-century building. From that period, the transept, the chancel and the east end survive. The chancel is almost as wide as the transept and is divided into five aisles of two bays; the three central aisles align with those of the church and terminate in an apse with an ambulatory and three radiating chapels. The nave and the façade date from the 13th century. In the 14th century, the central apse was rebuilt with a rectangular plan. The whole complex underwent rebuilding, especially after the Huguenot attack, followed by later restorations.

The new foundation at Moutiers became the monastery of Corbion, of which Laumer was the first abbot. He died at Chartres around 594, and shortly afterwards his body was transferred to Corbion. At the end of the 9th century, the community fled because of Viking raids, carrying the founder's relics with them to Blois in 873. In 929, the last abbot of Corbion died and no successor was appointed. Although the monastery later regained some activity, it never recovered its abbey status and eventually became a priory.