Abbaye Notre-Dame de Bon Secours de Blauvac

Abbaye Notre-Dame de Bon Secours de Blauvac is a working Trappist convent at the foot of Mont Ventoux, in the Vaucluse department of Provence. A community of Cistercian nuns lives here under the Rule of Saint Benedict, balancing prayer with manual work — most notably the large-scale production of communion hosts for the Catholic Church in France.

Where exactly is the abbey, and what does the setting look like?

The monastery stands in the commune of Blauvac, a small village perched on a limestone ridge since the 12th century. From here the views open onto Mont Ventoux to the north and the Monts de Vaucluse to the south. The abbey grounds themselves are surrounded by vineyards and cherry orchards, giving the site a quiet, rural feel typical of the villages tucked beneath Ventoux.

Unlike many French abbeys, Blauvac has no medieval ruins to show visitors. The nuns' home is a former country estate, a bastide, converted for monastic use only at the end of the 20th century.

How did this community of nuns come into being?

The community's roots go back to the French Revolution. In 1790, the Constituent Assembly abolished religious vows, prompting Dom Augustin de Lestrange to found two exiled monasteries in Switzerland, one for monks and one for nuns. France's invasion of Switzerland in 1797-1798 pushed the sisters into a longer journey across Europe, as far as Russia and Prussia, before conditions allowed a return.

After the Restoration of the French monarchy in 1816, the nuns gradually made their way back to France. They first settled at Vaise, on the outskirts of Lyon, before relocating in 1834 to Maubec, near Montélimar, where the community would remain for well over a century.

What happened during the community's time in Maubec?

The Maubec years brought real growth. Vocations were plentiful enough that the community founded several daughter houses elsewhere in France: the Abbey of Sainte-Marie du Rivet in Gironde in 1852, the Abbey of Bonneval in Aveyron in 1875, and the Abbey of Chambarand in Isère in 1931. Together these foundations trace the expansion of this branch of Trappist nuns across the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Why did the nuns eventually move to Blauvac?

By the late 20th century, maintaining the large, aging buildings at Maubec had become increasingly difficult. A shrinking number of vocations, combined with the costs of the necessary renovations, meant the community's income could no longer cover the upkeep of such a sizeable property. In 1991, the sisters chose to relocate to Blauvac, settling into smaller quarters better suited to the community's actual needs.

What is daily life like at the abbey today?

Seventeen Trappist nuns currently live and work at Blauvac, following the Benedictine motto "ora et labora" — prayer and work — with the liturgical hours punctuating the day seven times. The community's principal livelihood comes from making communion hosts: Blauvac is now the leading producer of hosts in France. The abbey also runs a small shop selling monastic craft products and occasionally hosts temporary exhibitions for visitors.

Can travelers visit the abbey?

The community welcomes guests seeking quiet and retreat, set among the vineyards and orchards below Ventoux. It functions both as a living spiritual centre and as a modest stop on the tourist map of Vaucluse, appreciated for its calm and its proximity to the mountain.

Frequently asked questions

Is Abbaye Notre-Dame de Bon Secours a historic building? Not architecturally — the abbey occupies a former country estate rather than a medieval monastery. What is historic is the community itself, whose roots trace back to the upheavals of the French Revolution.

Since when have the nuns lived in Blauvac? Since 1991, after relocating from their previous home in Maubec, near Montélimar.

What do the nuns do day to day? They follow the Rule of Saint Benedict, dividing their time between communal prayer and manual work, chiefly producing communion hosts on a large scale.

Is there anything else to see near the abbey? Yes — the village of Blauvac and the surrounding hills offer views over Mont Ventoux and the Monts de Vaucluse, in a landscape known for its vineyards and orchards.