Exploring by Bike
June 20th
Most days biking we just enjoy the journey and have no particular destination except to end up back at our apartment, at the train station or our car. We enjoy the scenery and the people we meet along the way. Today however, after our ride along the Burgundy Canal from Montbard to Venarey-les-Laumes, we decided to add a few more kilometers and ride out to visit the Fontenay Abbey. The route was a little sketchy but we made it and the abbey is an amazing place, well worth the effort.
The Abbey of Fontenay was founded in 1118 by Saint Bernard. The monks there were to live a life of poverty and solitude. The abbey was self-sufficient with the monks cultivating and farming the estate. After the French Revolution the estate was sold to Elie de Montgolfier who was a descendant of one of the inventors of the hot-air balloon. Later a Lyon banker, Edouard Aynard purchased the abbey and it is still owned by the Aynard family. It is a Unesco World Heritage site, one of 53 located in France. I took a few photos 😏.
 |
| This was actually the kennels for the dogs |
 |
| The Abbey Church |
 |
| The Monk's Dormitory |
 |
| The Cloister |
 |
| The Lodgings of the Abbots |
 |
| The Forge |
