Solesmes Abbey (Saint-Pierre)
Solesmes Sarthe Founded in 1010
On the banks of the Sarthe, the cradle of Gregorian chant
Solesmes Abbey (Saint-Pierre), located in the Pays de la Loire region a few kilometers from Sablé-sur-Sarthe, on the borders of Maine and Anjou, is home to around forty Benedictine monks. Founded in 1010, originally as a simple priory, the monastery saw its monastic life restored in 1833 by Dom Guéranger, to whom it owes its deep attachment to liturgy and Gregorian chant. The community follows the Rule of Saint Benedict and its motto "Pax," structuring its days around Gregorian offices sung in Latin and the daily Mass.
Bordered by the river and the lush greenery of the Sarthe countryside, the abbey offers a peaceful setting for a time of renewal and rest. The monks warmly welcome guests and visitors, who may join in their prayer, attend their offices, and find at the gatehouse monastic crafts, a religious bookstore, and local gastronomic specialties.
What awaits you
Practical information
Accommodation
4 options: interior guest house (24 single rooms, men only), 5 houses in the village (women, couples, families), La Marbrerie (large groups, 2 dormitories of 20 and 23 beds), Maison Saint Clément (groups with reduced mobility, dormitory of 15 beds). Bed linens not provided outside the interior guest house.
Meals
At the interior guest house, meals are taken in the refectory with the monks. In the village houses, La Marbrerie, and Maison Saint Clément, guests prepare their own meals. The village has a bakery, grocery store, and crêperie, with a supermarket 3 km away.
Accessibility
Maison Saint Clément is wheelchair accessible. It includes a room with a fireplace, a kitchen, a dormitory of 15 beds, and a room with 4 beds.
Liturgy
Days are structured around the Divine Office and daily Mass, sung in Gregorian chant. Guests are free to join the offices in the abbey church or to pray in silence in the guest house oratory.
Manual work
Retreatants may assist the community with manual tasks, in the spirit of the Rule of Saint Benedict, which balances prayer, study, and work.
Surroundings
Walks along the Sarthe river (GR trail) and through the village of Juigné. 5 km away, the Marian sanctuary of Notre-Dame-du-Chêne. Day trips possible to Malicorne and the medieval village of Asnières-sur-Vègre.
Getting there
The nearest train station is Sablé sur Sarthe, 3.5 km away (on the Paris-Nantes line). You can walk to the abbey along the Sarthe river (50 minutes), or take a taxi (book in advance).
From the A11, exit 10
Cycling in Sarthe is a great experience