Nestled in the heart of the Montagnette, the Monastery
takes its name from the thyme (“ferigoulo”
in Provençal), which grows wild on the hill
sides.
Saint Michel is said to have been founded by the monks
of Montmajour who, having caught malaria while draining
the marshes between the Alpilles and te Rhône,
came to recuperate on the Montagnette.
However, it is only in 1133 that a community of 13
Canons of the Order of Saint Augustin with their Prior
Guillaume de Loubières, is mentioned for the
first time in a donation by the Viscounts of Boulbon.
At its most flourishing period, the Abbey housed 13
Canons and 15 lay brothers who lived in the buildings
constructed around 1173 – 1176. Parts of these
buildings still exist : the cloister (early 12th century),
the church of Saint Michael ( 12th century), and the
small chapel of Our Lady of the Good Remedy (11th
century). This chapel was then known as Our Lady of
Frigolet or “Nostra Domina de Ferigoleto”.
Pilgrims came here and still do.
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Opening times Abbey :
All year, every day from 7 till 12
and 1 30 to 6 p.mh
Church :
From 8 to 11 and 2 till 6 p.m.
Ticket prices :
Individuals : 4 € Children,
from 11 to 16 : 3.5 €
Adult Groups who eat in the Abbey restaurant
: 3 €
Groups of Children : 2 €.
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EIn
1316, a Papal Bull from the Pope in Avignon John XXII, united
the Chapter of Frigolet to that of the cathedral of Avignon,
with an obligation of residence for some of them. Twelve
Canons were to live at the Monastery. Some of them were
attached to the church of Saint Martha in Tarascon which
belonged to the cathedral of Avignon. When King Louis XI
of France founded the Priory of the church of Saint Martha,
in 1422, the Prior of Frigolet became Dean of Saint Martha.
From then onwards, the Monastery was gradually abandoned
and remained empty until 1635 when the Hieronymite monks
(or Fathers of Saint Jerome), brought it back to life. Religious
life in Saint Michel de Frigolet only stopped at the French
Revolution in 1793. These monks repaired the dilapidated
buildings, enlarged and embellished them. The choir of the
church of Saint Michael was enlarged, the Chapter Room*
(17th century) and other adjoining rooms (South wing) with
magnificent stone vaulting, were added. It was at that time
that the chapel of Our Lady of the Good Remedy received
the magnificent baroque decors which can still be seen.
The small Priory was considerably enlarged. In 1661, the
Bare-foot Augustins (or Reformed), took over for mysterious
reasons. |
After
having avoided the unfortunate Commission des Réguliers
of Louis XV in 1768, which sought to abolish all small communities,
the revolutionary hordes took over the Monastery in 1791,
the last monks retired to Barbentane and the Priory of Saint
Michael was sold off, in its entirety, as public property.
In 1839, it became a boarding-school which suddenly
shut in 1841 and the Abbey was again abandoned. In 1858,
it was bought by Reverend Father Edmond to restore the Order
of the Prémontrés which had disappeared from
France at the Revolution. |
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The new foundation was officially installed
on April 27th 1858. Under Reverend Father Edmond, large
new buildings were constructed to receive an ever growing
number of pilgrims : a magnificent neo-gothic church and
neo-mediaeval ramparts with towers, battlements etc. The
new church incorporated the romanaesque chapel of Our Lady
of the Good Remedy.
On
June 6th 1869, Pope Pius IX raised the Priory of Frigolet
to the rank of Abbey with Father Edmund as First Abbot.
Unfortunately, in 1880, the French Government decreed the
dissolution of the community with order to leave the Monastery.
The refusal by the Premontrés, with the support of
the congregations of the area, was the source of the siege
of Frigolet. Evicted from their Abbey, the monks of Frigolet
scattered for a few years. They returned to Frigolet in
the early 20th century.
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The
cloister dates from the early 12th century, in the
North gallery you can see a few Roman remains :
friezes, capitals, masks.
- The 11th century chapel of Our Lady of the Good
Remedy, the origin of the Abbey, is the abside of
the left nave of the present church. Its splendid
gilded wood carvings were given by Anne of Austria
who came to beg Our Lady for an heir to the throne
of France. When the future Louis XIV was born, in
1638, she showed her gratitude by this magnificent
present to the church. Set in the carvings are fourteen
paintings attributed to the School of Nicolas Mignard.
- The 12th century church of Saint Michael is that
of the old monastery; it has a fine stone slabbed
roof with a carved crest .
 The
17th century Chapter Room was built by the Hieronymite
monks. The rebel monks were arrested here in 1880.
The Prémontrés : Canons who follow the
rules of Saint Augustin who was bishop and monk in
North Africa in the 5th century and particularly insisted
on brotherly community life. His Rule was brought
back to life in the 12th century at Prémontré
by Saint Norbert.
The 19th century Abbey church was built by Reverend
Edmond. |
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