Valbonne abbey

About

The Abbey of Valbonne (or Vallbona, in Latin: Vallis-bona, Spanish: Valbuena, Italian: Valbona or Valbonna) is a former Cistercian monastery located in a valley of the Alber massif, in the territory of the commune of Argelès-sur-Mer in the department of the Pyrénées-Orientales. The abbey has been abandoned since the 18th century, the remains are now part of the Mas de Vallbona, a private property.

History: The valley in which the abbey of Valbonne is located belonged, from the ninth century to the abbey Saint-Cyr de Colera located on the southern slope of the Albères massif. This possession included the church of Torreneules, located in a nearby valley. In the 13th century, Colera Abbey sold the valley to Sainte-Marie Abbey in Fontfroide. The monks of this last abbey founded the Cistercian abbey of Valbonne, which was consecrated in 1242. He established a small community of about twelve monks there. In 1293 the king of Majorca James II gave the abbey a grazing right over all its valley. In the 15th century, the monks of the abbey left the Albères and entered the hospital Saint-Guillaume de Perpignan. They did not return to the abbey until the 16th century...