Montmajour Abbey

Montmajour Abbey rises on a rocky hill roughly 4 km northeast of Arles, in the heart of Provence's Rhône delta countryside. For centuries the surrounding land was marsh and wetland, turning the hill into something close to an island — a detail that still shapes how the site feels today, isolated and slightly otherworldly. It's also one of the places where Provence's monastic past meets art history, since these ruins later caught the eye of Vincent van Gogh.

How old is the abbey and how did it begin?

A community of monks settled on the Montmajour hill in 948. Before any stone buildings existed, the first hermits reportedly arrived by boat and carved a rough shelter directly into the rock, seeking a quiet place for prayer. From that modest start, eight uninterrupted centuries of monastic life gradually produced a full abbey complex with towers, a church and a cloister.

What styles of architecture does the abbey combine?

Part of what makes Montmajour interesting is that ten centuries of building sit on the same ground, layering pre-Romanesque, Romanesque, Gothic and later classical work. The centerpiece is the Notre-Dame abbey church, a 12th-century example of Provençal Romanesque architecture built on a Latin-cross plan, its single nave rising 16 meters. Below it lies the crypt, or lower church, partly carved straight into the rock on its southern face — monks once kept a relic of the True Cross there. The cloister, the daily hub of monastic routine, was begun in the 12th century and not finished until the 14th.

Why does the abbey have a tower, and what was it for?

One of the site's most distinctive features is the keep of Abbot Pons de l'Orme, raised at the end of the 14th century as a defensive structure. The massive tower stands 26 meters tall, with a vaulted ground floor that held a storeroom and a water cistern, upper levels once divided by wooden floors, and a crenellated terrace at the top that was restored in 1946.

What is Montmajour's connection to Vincent van Gogh?

While living in nearby Arles between 1888 and 1889, Van Gogh returned repeatedly to the ruins at Montmajour. In letters to his brother Théo, he described them as romantic, picturesque ruins and admitted the site drew him more toward drawing than painting. In June 1888 he went back systematically, producing a series of sketches and studies of the abbey and its surrounding landscape.

What happened to the abbey afterward, and what is its status today?

After the French Revolution the buildings fell into disrepair and were partly demolished. The city of Arles bought the site back in 1838, and just two years later, in 1840, the complex was placed on France's historical monuments list — among the earliest sites to receive that protection. Restoration work took place under the Second Empire, led by architect Henri Révoil. Since 1945 the abbey has belonged to the French state.

Frequently asked questions

How far is Montmajour from Arles? The abbey sits about 4 km northeast of central Arles, on a rocky hill within the Rhône delta landscape.

Can visitors go inside the crypt and the tower? Yes, both the crypt and Abbot Pons de l'Orme's keep are included in the visitor route through the complex.

What are the opening hours? From October to March, Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm; from April to May and in September, the same 10:00 am to 5:00 pm hours; and from June to August, 10:00 am to 6:30 pm. The abbey is closed on January 1, May 1, November 1 and 11, and December 25.

Why is Montmajour associated with Van Gogh? He visited the ruins repeatedly while staying in Arles, producing numerous drawings and sketches there, and described the site in letters to his brother as full of romantic charm.