The Abbaye de Saint-Roman
The Abbaye de Saint-Roman is a troglodyte abbey perched on a hilltop overlooking the River Rhône, north of Beaucaire.
A Romanesque-style troglodyte abbey built into the rock
Cut directly into the limestone, it blends perfectly into the countryside which explains why it remained unnoticed until the middle of the 20th century. The site has been occupied since prehistoric times as the limestone contains lots of caves which provided shelter and lookout points for early man who hunted in the surrounding countryside.
From the 5th century onwards, hermits settled here and lived a monastic existence in the caves. In the 7th century, the construction became a Benedictine abbey when the hermits adopted the Rule of Saint Benedict. Over the centuries the abbey expanded, becoming a place of pilgrimage (relics of Saint Roman and Saint Trophime) then a school after fortifications were built. In the 16th century, the monks left the abbey and it was sold to a private individual who built a small castle on top of the abbey. Then, the site was abandoned once more and sank into oblivion. It was not until the 1960s that the first excavations began. Beaucaire local council bought the site, had it listed as a historic monument and built facilities so that it could be opened to the public.
The road leading up to the abbey has magnificent views of the confluence of the Rhône and the Gardon. The Romanesque-style abbey cut into the limestone features a chapel, monastic cells, an old wine press and numerous galleries. There is also an amazing necropolis (hundreds of tombs cut into the rock) on two terraces overlooking the Rhône plus remains of the fortifications. All of these remarkable remains show that the religious population was significantly high for that period.
Sight-seeing around the Abbaye Saint-Roman
Continuing on a heritage theme, Beaucaire has two superb ‘mas’ (Provençale farmhouses) to visit. The Mas des Tourelles, not far from the abbey, takes you on a journey through Antiquity. During building work, wine amphora were discovered and it turned out that the farmhouse had been built on the ruins of a genuine Roman villa ! This led to the idea of Roman grape harvests (by hand dressed in a toga) and wine-making using ancient recipes. In the old farmhouse, a guide dressed in period costume presents ancient crafts and trades. You can also visit the vegetable garden and petting farm. There’s a rumour that Father Christmas and his elves sometimes come here on the run up to Christmas, but, sshhhh, don’t tell anybody !
From Beaucaire, go cross the Rhône to Tarascon where the best-preserved medieval fortress in Europe, the Château du Roi René, proudly overlooks the river. The René in question is René d’Anjou, Comte de Provence. The collections of the Musée Imaginaire Médiéval (Museum of Medieval Fantasy) are superb (panelling decorated with fantastic paintings, Gothic sculptures gothiques, etc.).
If you are in the area in August, don’t miss the Fête de la Vannerie at Vallabrègues ! For trail-running enthusiasts, the « Gambade de Saint-Roman » at the end of September is an opportunity to run up to the Abbaye de Saint-Roman. The terraces of the Abbey are a wonderful place for a picnic while admiring the views of Provence ! And if you are feling thirsty, stop off at the Mas des Tourelles for a « troglodyte » beer, brewed at the foot of the abbey.
Abbaye de Saint-Roman -c/o Mas des Tourelles - 4294, route de Saint-Gilles - 30300 BEAUCAIRE
07 81 56 44 51 – www.abbaye-saint-roman.com
Open all year round, opening times vary (closed during bad weather).
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