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Origin and history

The abbey of Sainte-Marie de Boulaur, founded in 1142 by Pétronille de Chemillé, abbesse of Fontevraud, was originally a priory of the fontevrist order. Supported by the Archbishop of Auch and Sanche I, Count of Astarac, it is headed by Longuebrune, widow of the Count of Astarac, who became a religious. The monastery, whose name means "Good Place" (Bonus Locus), is the poorest of the order. Its church, Romanesque architecture at the base and Gothic in its vaults, preserves 14th century frescoes and wrought iron grids of the 18th century.

In the French Revolution, the priory was declared national and the nuns were dispersed. Monastic life resumed at the end of the 19th century, but the expulsion laws of 1903 again drove the nuns out. In 1949, Benedictine nuns, wishing to join the Cistercian order, restored the monastery. The community, initially modest (5 sisters in 1979), grew after 1981 thanks to vocations linked to the cause of beatification of Claire de Castelbajac. The abbey, erected in 1990, swarms in 1998 towards the abbey of Rieunette.

The abbey, registered as a historical monument in 1972, combines heritage and modernity. The sisters, engaged in organic farming (fromage, jams, beer since 2023), project a "Cistercian barn of the 21st century" respecting local architecture. In 2020, the community has 27 nuns, with an average age of 43. The 17th century cloister houses a statue of Virgin with the Child from the 13th–14th century, nicknamed the "Beautiful Lady" of Boulaur.

The site, owned by an association, remains a place of monastic life and artisanal production. The buildings, mostly from the 18th century, retain Romanesque (northern gate) and Gothic elements (voûts, foothills). The church, with a flat bedside flanked by foothills, has a nave with three Gothic spans and two Renaissance spans. Modern stained glass windows illuminate the choir, while the tower dominates the ensemble.

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