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Origin and history

Notre-Dame d'Autrey Abbey was founded in 1149 by Étienne de Bar, bishop of Metz, upon his return from the second crusade. Confed to the regular canons of St Augustine, it becomes a place of pilgrimage thanks to a relic of St Hubert, attracting many faithful. The first known abbot, Anselme, led the monastery between 1172 and 1182. The abbey, located at the southern end of the possessions of the bishopric of Metz, plays a major spiritual and social role in the region.

In the 16th century, after the wars of Charles the Temerary, Abbé Claude Stevenel undertook a major restoration between 1537 and 1545. It reconstructs the bedside, transept and north-east and south-east chapels, creating a harmonious architectural ensemble combining Gothic and Renaissance. The Saint-Hubert Chapel, built during this period, is considered one of the jewels of the Renaissance in the Vosges, inspired by the Cathedral of Saint-Étienne in Toul. These works mark the abbey's artistic climax.

The seventeenth century was marked by repeated destruction, forcing a complete reconstruction of the monastery and the nave between 1704 and 1715. Under the Old Regime, the canons, reformed by Saint Peter Fourier, even established the novitiate of their congregation. In 1777, Autéy lost his status as an abbey when the bishop of Saint-Dié was created, reducing his religious influence. These changes reflect the political and ecclesiastical upheavals of the time.

The French Revolution radically changed the destiny of the abbey. Sold as a national property in 1792 to an industrialist, Mr.Colombier, it was converted into a mill. The Romanesque bell tower is demolished, and the nave is built into a canal to power the machines. The buildings, which are used as workers' housing, thus escape total destruction. This industrial period paradoxically preserves a large part of the structures.

In the 19th century, the abbey changed its vocation several times. In 1856, Bishop Caverot established a small diocesan seminary under the patronage of Mary Immaculate, in homage to the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. Ranked a Historic Monument in 1911, it became a hospice during the First World War, then briefly regained its educational function in the 1930s. The facades and roofs were protected in 1931, consolidating its heritage status.

The twentieth century is marked by successive occupations and drama. During World War II, the abbey was bombed in 1944, partially destroying the bell tower and nave. In the 1980s, the community of Beatitudes settled and opened a school, closed in 2007 after allegations of sexual abuse involving priests. Today, the abbey is also distinguished by its four-hectare botanical park, home to 2500 species, and a craft beer brewed in its name.

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