Established in 1101 the “ideal city” of Fontevraud in the Loire Valley, this was a mixed settlement, being both secular and religious, that once embraced 4 different monastic orders (male and female) and several dozen inhabitants. It is one of the largest medieval monastic complexes that has survived (almost) intact to this day and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in France. Recently restored in respect of traditional methods, the country has been provided with what is both accommodation and a restaurant, each designed by the duo Patrick Jouin – Sanjit Manku and housed in the former convent of Saint-Lazare. The interiors of Hotel Fontevraud are basic and without frills; all spaces reinterpret monastic simplicity in a contemporary way. From the restaurant on the ground floor to the internal cloister, the former refectory, now a conference hall, to the guest rooms (54 in all), each corner is united by the same sought sobriety and refined by the use of old materials – wood and metal – enlivened by calibrated touches of colour.
The changes to the original structure can be said to be completed with the iBar in the former chapel. It is a space open to all, serving as a would-be meeting point for tourists and as a point of information. Built into the structure of oak, along with seating and table tops, there are in fact integrated touch screens of the new generation that give information on this historical and artistic site.
Staying at Hotel Fontevraud means finding peace in a vital and beautiful place.
WHERE: 38 Rue Saint Jean de L’Habit, 49590 Fontevraud-l’Abbaye, Francia