Village de Boulaur

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Boulaur is a picturesque village in the Gers, known for its peaceful environment and typical agricultural landscapes of Gascony. With its stone houses and church, it reflects the charm of a small rural town rooted in local history.

In the town of Boulaur, discover the Sainte-Marie abbey, dated from the 12th century. Founded in 1142 by Petronille de Chemillé, abbess of Fontevraud on the lands given by the count of Astarac. She was placed under the order of the Fontevrault. The first superior is Longuebrune, widow of Bernard I of Astarac. Quickly, the community of nuns of Fontevrault thrives because it benefits from numerous donations. In 1792, the nuns were expelled and the list of requisitioned goods testifies to the great poverty of the community. In 1794, nuns from different convents came to Boulaur to set up a small school for girls, but were expelled again in 1798. After the Revolution, in 1801, Madame de Latour, the superior who managed to prevent the destruction of the convent desired by the inhabitants, acquired the establishment and undertook its restoration. The law separating the Church and the State in 1904 led to the closure of the monastery. The nuns were expelled and retreated to Spain, to Verra de Navara. Around 1940, the sisters of the Cross of Strasbourg come to take refuge in Boulaur with many disabled people and the convent is transformed into a medical educational center. In 1949, it is redeemed by a religious community and Marie-Pia takes possession of the monastery which is very degraded. With four nuns, she undertakes the restoration. It was, from the beginning and until the Revolution, a monastery for noble girls. The church and the buildings (except the outbuildings) were listed in the supplementary inventory of Historic Monuments on 21 December 1972. One can see a tower where foundlings were deposited. The abbey has not kept any remains dating from its foundation.

The church of Sainte-Marie is the oldest vestige of the convent, transformed in the 17th and 18th c., with the ground floor of the building which houses the large dormitory. The paintings that adorn the vaults of the sanctuary and the first span are dated between 1320 and 1340. They were made by the school of Giotto (1266-1337). These paintings were rediscovered in 1985 under the paintings of the 19th century. The originality and finesse of the decorations including the church of Boulaur a remarkable example of the art of the 14th century. The neo-Gothic stalles of the choir come from the old Dominican convent of Mazères/l’Hers. The high altar, made of Pyrenean marble, was built in the first half of the 18th century. Above the northern door, there is an ancient stone cross, probably a vestige of the primitive church. Finally, let us admire a very beautiful stone Madonna and Child, which was used as a refill and must have been in the center of a tympanum of one of the side portals. The monastery of Boulaur was elevated to the title of abbey on 6 September 1990. It now belongs to the order of the Cîteaux.

Today, the sisters organize visits and produce cow cheese, pâtés and jams. In 2024, they inaugurate the new public reception building.

The miraculous source of Boulaur is mentioned in the inventory of Abbot G. Loubes, where he tells about his existence near the disappeared chapel of Saint-Menne, a Roman Christian soldier martyred in Egypt. This fountain, called both “Fontaine de Saint-Menne”, “Saint-Mesmin” and “Saint-Anne”, was a place of pilgrimage. Every year, a procession went to this place, solemnly carrying the relics of Saint-Menne, whose statue is still preserved in the parish church. The procession took place on the eve of the feast of Saint John the Baptist. The fountain was renowned for its healing virtues. It was attributed healing powers, notably for the sick suffering from scabs, ulcers, leprosy or herpes diseases, known as “Saint-Menne’s disease”. It was particularly prized for treating scrofula, a condition affecting the lymph nodes. In 1880, a striking case was that of a leprous child, healed thanks to the water of this source, thus reinforcing his fame.

Sprachen : Französisch

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