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Origin and history

Notre-Dame de Clermont Abbey, founded in 1150 by Guy IV de Laval, is the 63rd direct foundation of Clairvaux Abbey and the first Cistercian settlement in Lower Maine. It became the necropolis of the Laval family, with prestigious burials such as those of Guy VI of Laval or Béatrix of Brittany. The abbey was listed as a historic monument in 1957 (church and converse building) and in 1987 (porterry), and its site was listed in 2022.

The Romanesque church, 60 meters long and 18 meters wide, follows the precepts of Bernard de Clairvaux: absence of superfluous decoration, square bedside, and nave accompanied by downsides. The convent buildings, rebuilt in the 17th and 18th centuries, reflect the evolution of monastic habits, with more luxurious apartments and open cells on the outside. The abbey experienced disturbances under the commende (from 1506) and during the Wars of Religion, where the monks had to take refuge in Laval.

The abbey was sold as a national property in 1794 after the French Revolution, then transformed into a farm in the 19th century. In the 20th century, it fell into ruins before being partially restored by private owners from 1954. Today, the site preserves major remains such as the church, the porterry, the building of conversants, and surrounding ponds, witness to its monastic past and its role in local history.

Clermont founded an abbey-daughter, Fontaine-Daniel, in 1204, and benefited from numerous gifts from the seigneurs of Laval, who were buried there until the 15th century. Among his abbots, two became bishops of Rennes (Philippe in 1178 and Herbert in 1181). The abbey was also a place of resistance during the episcopal visits, as in 1402, where the monks refused entry to the bishop of Le Mans.

The current buildings include the doorway (north entrance), the Fathers' building (now hosting a reception and exhibitions), and the ruins of the commons. The church, in the shape of a Latin cross, has an imposing transept and absidial chapels characteristic of Cistercian architecture. The materials used, such as shale and granite, as well as the absence of ornamental sculpture, reflect the austerity advocated by order.

The French Revolution marked the end of the abbey: the last monks left in 1792, and the bells and the roof lead were confiscated. The cartrier was destroyed by fire, and the 800 volumes of the library were dispersed. In the 19th century, bought by a Laval family, it became a farm, before restorations began in the 20th century to preserve this exceptional heritage.

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