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Key figures

Origin and history

Sainte-Marie du Rivet Abbey, probably founded in the Carolingian period as a Benedictine monastery, was affiliated with the Cistercian order in 1189. A papal bubble of Urbain IV placed it under pontifical protection, detaching it from the bishopric of Bazas. Its primitive architecture, visible in the batteries and walls integrated into the later buildings, bears witness to its ancient origins. The site derives its name from the brook le Rivet, tributary of the Beuve, which crosses the estate located 3 km northwest of the village of Auros, accessible by the departmental road D10.

In 1593, the abbey suffered Protestant attacks and was partially burned. In the 18th century, it was led by Dom Claude-Benjamin Leclerc de Buffon, brother of the famous naturalist. The French Revolution marked a turning point: the monks were expelled in 1791, and the monastery, which had become a national one, was sold. In 1885, the Tamize family bought the place and undertook a restoration inspired by the medieval style, adding a crenellated tower, a scald and murderers. A cave reproducing Lourdes is dug there after the miraculous recovery of the governess Louise Ripas.

In 1938-1939, Cistercian nuns of Blagnac (Haute-Garonne) settled there, attracted by the presence of the cave and the connection with Bernadette Soubirous. The Gothic church was listed as a historic monument in 1926. Daughter of the Abbey of Notre-Dame de Jouy, Sainte-Marie du Rivet illustrates the evolution of religious communities and the architectural adaptation throughout the centuries.

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