Certified Foundation 1028 ou 1038 (≈ 1038)
Medieval origin of the Abbey
1568
Fire during the Wars of Religion
Fire during the Wars of Religion 1568 (≈ 1568)
Partial destruction of the Abbey
1793
Sale as a national good
Sale as a national good 1793 (≈ 1793)
Further fragmentation of the site
4e quart XVIIe - XVIIIe siècle
Complete reconstruction
Complete reconstruction 4e quart XVIIe - XVIIIe siècle (≈ 1887)
Campaign completed in 1790
1954
Conversion to college
Conversion to college 1954 (≈ 1954)
Modern reassignment of the house
26 décembre 1995
Registration of abbey buildings
Registration of abbey buildings 26 décembre 1995 (≈ 1995)
Partial protection by decree
28 novembre 1996
Ranking of medieval remains
Ranking of medieval remains 28 novembre 1996 (≈ 1996)
Enhanced protection (beef room)
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Abbatial buildings; present Saint-Géminien church; garden; dependencies ; edicles included in the old abbatial enclosure (see box). B 810, location of the former chapel Notre-Dame, 817, bearing the present parish church Saint-Géminien, 816, passage of access to the church place du Cardinal-Bernardou, 820, former cloister area and lower courtyard, 825, part of the former abbatial buildings and cloister, 826, corresponding to the current square of Cardinal-Bernardou, 1364, corresponding to the stairwell and the middle part of the modern abbatial house, 85, 86, 88, 90 to 93, 95, 828, 830, 1362, 1363, bearing part of the park, 89, 94, carrying the pigeon, 813 to 815, former stables, currently garages, 824, carrying hydraulic installations: old vivier, wash-house, 1365, bearing part of the modern abbatial house, 3 place du Cardinal-Bernardou, 829 bearing another part of the modern abbatial house and outbuildings, 1 place du Cardinal-Bernardou): inscription by order of 26 December 1995: - Salle des enfeux et salle haute au décor blasonné, vestiges médiévals de l'abbay (Box B 825) : classification by decree of 28 November 1996
Key figures
Information non disponible - No character cited
Source text does not mention name
Origin and history
The Abbey of Notre-Dame de la Sagne, located in Vielmur-sur-Agout, has its origins in the 11th century, with a foundation attested in 1028 or 1038. This medieval monastery, whose history is not well known, suffered major destruction during the Hundred Years' War and the wars of Religion, including a fire in 1568. Medieval remains still visible today, such as the 13th and 14th centuries' burnings and sculptures, are concentrated in an ancient parlor, the last vestige of the original abbatial home.
In the 4th quarter of the 17th and 18th centuries, the abbey underwent a complete reconstruction, completed in 1790. The medieval house, transformed several times, preserves traces of monumental paintings, a frieze of 17 coats of arms, and a beams dated 1493-1494. Sold as a national property in 1793, the abbey was fragmented in the 19th century. Its house, identified as the tower on the side of the bise, was modified with the addition of a fake ceiling studded in the 18th century, then converted into stable and barn in the 19th century.
In the 20th century, the installation of a college in 1954 permanently transformed the house: the ground floor became a garage, the first floor a classroom, and the attic was abandoned. The protected elements include the abbatial buildings, the church of Saint-Géminien, and remains such as the hall of the enfeux and the upper room with a coat of arms, classified in 1996. The Abbey thus illustrates a complex history, marked by successive reconstructions and reallocations.
Dendrochronological analyses show that the beams of the attic date back to 1493-1494, while the solives were replaced after 1564, reflecting post-destruction renovation campaigns. The site, now shared between private and communal property, preserves hydraulic installations (living, washing) and outbuildings like a dovecote. Its rectangular plan on three levels, with a portal decorated with a fantastic vegetal frieze, recalls its monastic past.
The accuracy of its location is considered satisfactory a priori (note 7/10), with an approximate address in 3 place of Cardinal Bernadou. The legal protections, introduced in 1995 and 1996, cover medieval remains and reconstructed parts, highlighting the heritage importance of this Occitan site, a witness to almost a millennium of religious and architectural history.
