May 9 Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud

We took a long drive to the west of Tours today to see the Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud.  On the way we did a drive by shooting (camera) of Chateau d'Usse.  It is apparently the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty.  Here's what it looks like from the road (47°15'02.6"N, 0°17'27.5"E). 

(47°10'52.7"N, 0°03'05.2"E)

The Abbaye was founded in 1101 by a priest as a religious community of men and women under the authority of an abbess. 12th century kings of England Henry II and Richard I (the lionheart), as well as Eleanor of Aquitaine are buried here. In the late 18th century the abbey was closed, but reopened in the early 19th century as a penitentiary. The last prisoners left this facility in 1985.

I took these shots in the archway into the nun's cloister.  I'll leave you to speculate as to the purpose of these images in such a setting.



Here's a fun shot.