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Origin and history

The Saint Peter Abbey of the Almanarre, located near the Hyères in the Var, was originally founded in 989 by Benedictine monks on the ancient site of Olbia. This monastery, first linked to the abbey of Saint-Gervais de Fos, was replaced in 1220 by a community of Cistercian nuns under the impulse of Cardinal Conrad, legate of Pope Honorius III. Pope Innocent IV described his wealth in 1250: lands, vineyards, saline, and a community of thirty-two nuns.

Destroyed during the Beaussenque wars, the abbey was rebuilt before being definitively abandoned at the end of the 14th century after pirate attacks in 1409. The nuns then took refuge in Hyères, founding a new monastery under the name of Saint Bernard. The latter, devastated during the Revolution in 1793, welcomed nuns from noble Provencal families and benefited from significant income (15,000 gold francs).

Archaeological excavations (1958–1963 and 1988–1992) revealed a single-nave Romanesque church enlarged over the centuries, a cloister, and an exceptional medieval cemetery with nearly 500 tombs dating from the 13th–14th centuries. Among the discoveries are paleo-Christian sarcophagus, a slate ossuary, and jewels like five gold rings. Anthropological studies have analysed the life of nuns, their dental health, and their diet.

The abbey was linked to several priories and abbeys, including Notre-Dame de Fenouillet and Saint-Pons de Gémenos, and was led by abbesses from the Provencal aristocracy, such as Saure de Glandevès (early 15th century), who organized the transfer of the monastery. The archives also mention papal bubbles, like that of Benedict XIII in 1406, uniting the abbey with other religious institutions.

Classified as a Historic Monument in 1926, the church of St Peter and its remains (reparts, cemetery) today bear witness to its prestigious past. The research continues to shed light on its role in the medieval religious and social landscape of Provence, as well as its architecture combining Romanesque and Provencal influences.

The site, located close to the sea, was strategically placed near the saline and commercial roads, reflecting the economic importance of Cistercian abbeys. Its decline takes place in the context of the crises of the lower Middle Ages (wars, insecurity, epidemics), pushing religious communities closer to the protected urban centres.

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