Sénanque Abbey surrounded by lavender

Lavender in front of the abbey’s apse

In early summer, the purple rows follow the slope down to the church. The strips of earth between the plants narrow as they approach the buildings. Cypresses and dark woods frame the pale stone; flowers fill almost the entire foreground.

The monks grow lavandin here, harvested for its essential oil. Flowering varies with the year and the weather. On the plateaux of Valensole and Sault, or in the Baronnies, lavender and lavandin grow in more open landscapes or mountain valleys.

In the Middle Ages, the field in front of the church was the monks’ cemetery. Crops now occupy the site of the old graves.

The stone walls and roofs of the Romanesque church

From the edge of the field, you can make out the rounded forms of the apse and the small openings in the thick walls. The roofs are covered with lauzes, stone slabs laid in rows. Above them, the square bell tower rests on an octagonal base at the crossing of the transept. Along the sides of the church, buttresses alternate with narrow windows.

An interior visit reveals the abbey church, the cloister, the former dormitory and the chapter house, where the community gathered. Along with the kitchen, the warming room was the only heated room in the abbey. Monks came here to warm up, read or work; an area was also set aside for writing.

An abbey still home to monks

In 1988, monks from Lérins returned to Sénanque after several interruptions in monastic life. Their day is divided between services and work. Growing lavandin, tending the olive grove and apiary, and welcoming retreat guests all contribute to the community’s income.

At the entrance to the abbey, the shop sells lavandin essential oil, soaps, honey and biscuits, and has a book section. Sénanque’s own products are joined by those of other monastic communities and a selection of regional specialities. Sales and visits help fund the upkeep and restoration of the monastery.

In autumn, the woods turn yellow and russet above the grey roofs. The lavandin is no longer in bloom; the pale walls and rounded forms of the apse stand out against the foliage.

Continue exploring around Gordes

The road climbs back towards Gordes, whose tiered houses overlook the Calavon valley. At the Village des Bories, dry-stone huts and walls show another way of using the hills’ limestone for building and farming.

To the north, roads through the Monts de Vaucluse lead to Venasque, its towers and its baptistery. To the south, the Calavon valley stretches out at the foot of the Luberon.