Les Bartavelles sur Crots

26/09/2024: To do for the history of the abbey. We would like to see a little more.

13/09/2024: Magnificent abbey in the middle of the forest a few minutes by car from the shores of Lake Serre-Ponçon. The site bears witness to a long history since the Middle Ages. The style, particularly that of the abbey church, is close to the Cistercian style: very sober, raw rock with little entry of light, in the best of what the Romanesque style produced. The place invites spirituality, through its design and proportions. The site, which has had a very turbulent history since the beginning of the Middle Ages, lost its spiritual role at the dawn of the French Revolution. Transformed into a rural hamlet, it was under the leadership of enthusiasts, lay and religious, that it was bought, classified as a historic monument and restored since the 1970s. Today the place is truly very beautiful and a spiritual permanence and secular is still present although in decline. It is still possible to attend certain times of prayer during the summer period. If the visit to the abbey is free, the paid visit (€7 / person) of the cloister and adjoining rooms is worth the detour. It is very well designed, with quite a few explanatory panels and several interactive modules which will interest a family audience. The only downside that I note is that this beautiful exhibition deserves maintenance, because some modules are damaged and that is a shame given the energy and care taken in its design. Within the abbey you will also find a shop for the benefit of the association which maintains these places. Nearby you will find public toilets, refreshment bar with snacks and numerous hiking trails.