Prieuré de Moreaucourt

The history of Moreaucourt priory goes back to the 12th century when the unruly Sir Aléaume d’Amiens chose the site to build a monastery before he left for the Crusades. Attached to the prestigious Royal Abbey of Fontevraud, protected by King Richard the Lionheart, the priory was home to a community of women and men for nearly 500 years. In the Middle Ages it was a major religious and economic centre for the region. The site was abandoned by the religious community in the mid 17th century. The ruins of Moreaucourt were rediscovered in the 19th century by the Romantics who found them touching and wanted to learn more about them. Since the late 1960s twenty-five archaeological digs on the site have uncovered all the buildings and thousands of objects. Visitors today walk around ruins that lay buried for over three hundred years. Moreaucourt priory is a tranquil and soothing place to visit. The priory ruins, buried for over three centuries, are now a listed Historical monument in a leafy and eco-friendly landscaped setting. Hundred-year-old trees, old walls, forgotten plants whose properties are once again given pride of place. You may even spot some surprising little creatures.