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Origin and history

The Abbey of Valcroissant, located in Die, Drôme, is a former Cistercian abbey founded in 1188 by the monks of Bonnevaux. This monastery adopts the traditional Bernardine plan, with a central cloister surrounded by an abbey church and monastic buildings. Despite its modest size (a dozen monks), it retains typical architectural elements, such as a flat bedside abbey and four chapels, including one transformed into a sacristy. The lack of significant development is reflected in the small size of buildings.

The abbey suffered destruction during the Wars of Religion, before being converted into a farm. This change of vocation, paradoxically, preserves the buildings: the owners maintain them for practical use (bergery, barn). In the 19th century, Pastor Jules Dautheville and his wife bought the site in 1893 to create a Protestant orphanage, a project interrupted by the early death of the pastor in 1896.

In the 1950s, mathematician Marcel Légaut and his wife bought the abbey and undertook its restoration, while maintaining an agricultural activity. This work culminated in its classification at the Historical Monuments on October 25, 1971. The restoration continues in the 21st century under the impetus of the Légaut family and the Association of Friends of Valcroissant, founded by André Pitte and Serge Durand. The site now combines historical heritage and community life.

Before its monastic history, the place was already marked by antiquity: the torrent of Valcroissant fed a Roman aqueduct serving Dea Augusta (Die). The specus of this aqueduct was rediscovered in July 1962, reflecting the ancient occupation of the site. The abbey, daughter of Bonnevaux, never founded the abbey-daughter, remaining a modest but emblematic example of Cistercian architecture in the southeast.

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