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Origin and history

The Abbey of Our Lady of Boschaud, founded in the 12th century by hermits adopting the common monastic life, is part of the late Cistercian movement. In contrast to nearby abbeys affiliated quickly with Cadouin or Dalon, Boschaud awaits 1163 to join the order via the abbey Notre-Dame-de-Ré, under the probable influence of the monks of La Peyrouse. Its name, Bosco Cavo ("dough wood"), reflects its unusual location, far from the streams, fed only by wells.

The Wars of Religion (XVI century) partially destroyed the abbey, destroying its archives (cartulars, burrows). Only the chapel and dormitory were restored in the 17th century, while the community, reduced to a single monk in 1790, disappeared at the Revolution. The current vestiges — nave with domes, Cistercian choir, and chapter hall with sober mouldings — illustrate a local adaptation of Cistercian cannons, mixing perigordin novels and limo traditions.

Classified as a Historic Monument in 1950, the abbey became the property of the state in 1967 and then of the commune of Villars in 2007. Since the 2010s, the Festivillars association has organized cultural events (concerts, exhibitions), giving life to these ruins full of history. His atypical plan, without a western building but with rare oriental extensions, still intrigues historians.

Excavations and studies (Verneilh, 1851; Secret, 1979; Barrière, 1998) highlights its role in the Cistercian regional network, despite its geographical isolation. The successive destructions and lack of documents make its history fragmentary, but the remains — like the 17th century stairway leading to the dormitory — testify to its late redevelopments for a small community.

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