Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque

Beautiful medieval abbey with lavender fields around. Full of history. May be busy- go there in the morning. During lunch time the museum is closed. Highly recommended. Be careful driving there- the road may be challenging- full of turns and narrow. By worth. I and my wife had wonderful experience there.

Category: Attraction. If you are a monk looking for a new home in a beautiful valley that smells good, or a monk wannabe, or if you are a minimalist, or an ascetic, I highly recommend you check out this active monastery. You will find that it offers everything you want, which is, of course, nothing. Although this incredible Romanesque structure seems huge, it has housed — on average — only about 30 monks at any one time over the past 900 years (take the tour to learn how they figured this out). When we visited, the TMP (Total Monk Population) was five. Yes, five, which is why I started this review with a shout out to anyone who may be craving the monastic lifestyle. But confirmed lovers of materialism — like us — are welcome as well (for a visit), will surely learn something during the tour, and will appreciate how lucky they are to have all of their things, especially heat and air conditioning. You will learn about the monks’ daily routine, the primacy of prayer and work, their ascetic lifestyle, the monastery’s spartan architecture and ornamentation, and the things monks make and sell to keep gruel on the table, including lavender products, which is why the valley smells so good. YouTube’s Chef’s Apprentice

Beautiful and peaceful abbey. Sadly we visit during May and there was no lavender during that period. Definitely worth a visit though to learn more about the history of the Senanque.

Gorgeous abbey set against hills in the back. Definitely much more striking when the lavendars are blooming which is sometime in July. They have fields all around it so it's really beautiful. Be careful to check hours, it's closed for mass during the day at certain hours. Nice shop also with lots of nice books on the second floor and locally produced products on the first level. Very pricy thou...!!

A monastery turned theme park 🧘‍♂️📱🚍 I love monasteries — wandering through their cool stone chambers, admiring the architecture, and imagining the rhythm of monastic life. Sadly, Abbaye Notre-Dame offers none of that peaceful reflection. Yes, the building is beautiful, no question. But any sense of tranquility is completely ruined by the wave of tourist buses (I counted five in the short time I was there). It’s loud, it’s crowded, and it feels more like a cruise ship excursion stop than a sacred site. And the parking lot is a mess with the busses trying to squeeze through this one-car-wide lane. And then there’s the AR tablet they hand you. Sure, it’s technically impressive, but do I really want to fumble with a glowing screen in a centuries-old monastery? Absolutely not. Everyone is walking through this beautiful building while their eyes are glued to the tablet. A small booklet would be way nicer and you can take it with you at the end. If you’re looking for serenity, history, and a true monastic experience — this isn’t it. Skip the hype and find a quieter gem instead.

I was there without the added emotion of the lavander fields. However the abbey is beautiful and the virtual guide is well designed and does a good job in taking you around. The shop is a little bit pricey, but offers a mix of interesting products.

What a great cultured experience. The best thing about the visit was the HistoPad! Making it easy to imagine the monastery back in its day. Never done a tour this way, so interesting, you really are immersed.

Nestled in the heart of the South of France, a truly enchanting experience awaits at this picturesque lavender farm, crowned by a charming European church. It's a scene straight out of a postcard, promising unforgettable memories. Reaching this idyllic spot requires a bit of an adventure; the roads leading here can be quite narrow, making a skillful driver or an organized tour highly recommended for a smooth journey. The closest and equally stunning town to this gem is Gordes. If you're planning a visit in June, be prepared for the warmth, as temperatures can soar above 35 c. Dressing lightly and staying hydrated will ensure your comfort. Upon arrival, please note that parking is located a short distance from the church, requiring a pleasant 10-minute stroll through the beautiful surroundings to reach the main attraction.

It's worth the trip out to the Abbey. We were in Gordes for the day and it was close by. The road is a bit tough and during the afternoon is was busy. We had to park at the top of the road and walk down to the abbey area. Take some time to tour the church and looks at the carving around the door area and inside. Knights Templar? We enjoyed taking photos and visit the shop. Posted several photos.

Very beautiful place! There is a big lavender field on the north side that was just about to bloom when we visited in mid-June. There is a tour of the 870-year old Abbey every hour that is the Only way to visit the abbey after 11am, and Only offered in French. Beautiful place, very minimalistic.

Amazing ! Area Clean. nice roads, good signage to find it easily from roads. great photos possibilities . go early if you can because tourist seem to show up late. so if you can be an early bird tourist or local guest - do so.

As seen in a myriad of post cards, the Abbaye du Senanque is what it is, a beautiful, still operating Abbey, complete with huge, lovely Lavender pastures. It is best to visit in May to July to see everything in bloom. Go early to avoid the tourist throngs. If you are in the Luberon, this is worth a stop.

A beautiful site, for sure, but with the limited time we had in Provence I would have skipped this if I could do it all over again. If you aren't super religious (I am not) there isn't much to do there when you arrive. And it is a trek outside of Gordes to get there. I bet it is amazing when the lavender is in bloom, but it wasn't when we were there. It is chock-full of tourists all snapping photos and finding a parking spot is really tough!