Abbaye Notre-Dame de Senanque

As we descend into the secluded valley of the Sénancole river, the world seems to grow quieter, the air heavier with the scent of wild thyme and, in the summer months, the intoxicating aroma of lavender. Welcome to the Ah-bay-ee…

We enter the Abbey Church, the spiritual heart of Say-nank. As your eyes adjust to the dim light, you will notice the remarkable absence of ornament. …

Stepping back outside, we find ourselves facing the world-famous lavender fields that wrap around the abbey's eastern facade. This is perhaps the most photographed view in all of Provence, but for the monks, it is a working farm. …

We now enter the Scriptorium, one of the few heated rooms in the medieval abbey. In an era before the printing press, this was the room where the monks painstakingly copied manuscripts by hand. …

The Cloister is the geometric heart of the abbey, a square courtyard surrounded by vaulted galleries that connect the different parts of the monastery—the church, the dormitory, and the refectory. In the Cistercian tradition, the…

For those who wish to experience the abbey as the medieval pilgrims did, the trail leading up the hill toward the village of Gordes is essential. As you climb out of the valley, the abbey shrinks behind you, its grey stone…

Finally, we visit the Chapter House, the room where the monks gathered every morning to listen to a chapter of the Rule of Saint Benedict—hence the name. This was the only room in the abbey, aside from the church, where speaking…

As we conclude our journey through the Ah-bay-ee No-truh Dam de Say-nank, I hope you carry with you a sense of the profound peace that this valley offers. It is a place that challenges our modern notions of progress and noise,…