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Maumont Abbey

Juignac Charente Founded in 1827

Benedictines Nuns
StayFrom 1 to 7 nights
Offices6/day
LanguagesFR, EN

Between meadows and forests, calm and the art of bookbinding

Abbaye Sainte-Marie de Maumont, located in Juignac in the Charente department, halfway between Angoulême and Bordeaux, is home to a community of Benedictine sisters who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Heir to a history of more than 1,200 years rooted in Carolingian Aquitaine, the community settled at the Château de Maumont in 1958. The nuns seek God in all things according to the motto "Ora, lege et labora": seven offices a day, lectio divina, study and manual work, including bookbinding, the abbey's specialty.

Set among meadows and forests in a rolling, verdant landscape, this place of tranquility invites spiritual renewal. The sisters warmly welcome those who wish to share their life of prayer in a peaceful setting. The surrounding area offers many walks and hikes, around Aubeterre-sur-Dronne, the peat bogs of Vendoire, or the plateau d'Argentine.

Learn more about this place

What awaits you

Benedictine hospitalityAll are welcome, believers and non-believers alike · silence, contemplation, meditation
Offices and prayerFree participation in the offices · meeting with a sister upon request
Rest and walksPeaceful grounds · hiking in the area around the château
Varied accommodation4 buildings: groups, families, young people · individual rooms or dormitories

Practical information

Accommodation

4 buildings available: la Combe Saint Benoît (rooms with 1 or 2 beds, private shower/WC, 3 accessible rooms), la Métairie (dormitories with 2-6 beds, shared showers, sleeping bag required), le Vieux-Logis (studios and rooms, ideal for families), le Pavillon (3 rooms with shower).

Accessibility

Three rooms adapted for people with reduced mobility in la Combe Saint Benoît, the main guest house building.

Meals

Lunch and dinner are served on site in la Combe Saint Benoît. La Métairie and le Vieux-Logis each have a kitchenette equipped with the essentials.

Individual or group retreat

Retreats can be experienced alone or in a group. For groups, it is possible to arrange with a Sister a theme to explore together.

Surroundings

Many walks are accessible nearby: the village of Aubeterre-sur-Dronne (15 km), the Vendoire peat bogs, the Argentine plateau, the ponds of La Jemaye, and the Fontaines de Douchapt loop trail.

Getting there

Train

Paris-Bordeaux line, with a connection to Montmoreau: local train from Angoulême toward Bordeaux or from Bordeaux toward Angoulême

Car

By car from the Bordeaux or Angoulême highway

Bike

Saddle up, Marcel, come by bike!

Location