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Origin and history

The abbey of Nesle-la-Reposte, founded during the reign of Clovis I, was a mixed Benedictine abbey, sheltering monks and nuns on both sides of a central road. It was placed under the protection of Saint Pierre and attached to Saint-Vannes after having depended on Saint-Benoît. His history was marked by donations, such as that of Simon, Lord of Rethel, in 1150.

The abbey suffered serious damage during the Wars of Religion: in 1658 Protestants burned down the buildings, already weakened by previous looting. The monks finally left the site in 1674 to settle in Villenauxe-la-Grande, taking with them architectural elements such as the Romanesque portal. The French Revolution completed its destruction: its goods were sold in 1791, and the church and their new house were razed.

Today, only remains of the 11th century, such as the ruins of the transept and the church tower, as well as the 16th century abbey house, classified as a historical monument in 1942 and 1971. These buildings, which became private property, still bear witness to its religious and architectural past. The Aube departmental archives retain a cartular link to its history.

The abbey was a renowned place of study, where Saint Serein formed according to the writings of Dom Martin the Rethelois and De Guerrois. Its decline was gradual, marked by religious conflicts and political upheavals, before its definitive disappearance in the late eighteenth century.

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