Saint-Sigismond-de-Clermont - Abbaye de la Tenaille

I had met somebody, who had told me about a "forgotten" abbey near the hamlet Saint-Sigismond-de-Clermont. I finally found the "Château de la Tenaille", that obviously once had been an abbey. It was not only locked, the grounds were fenced as well. This was "private property" - and nobody was around I could ask for permission to enter...

I - well - could find a little hole - sneaked in - and slowly approached the buildings. The facade of the former abbey church has the design that is so typical for Romanesque churches in the Saintonge. The pyramid is a little strange and is for sure a later alteration. The portal is bricked up. It looks like all carvings are lost. During Baroque times a top was added.


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Meanwhile I know, that this indeed was an abbey, founded in the early 12th century by Giraud de Sales, who was the founder of many convent in western France. The abbey was sold after the French Revolution. The church dates back to the 12th century, while most other buildings were completed within the 18th century.

Here is a pdf with infos:
file:///D:/_eigene_Dateien/Downloads/Abbaye%20de%20la%20Tenaille.pdf