Baume-les-Messieurs - The Abbey

Upto the French Revolution, the little village, next to the Baume-Abbey was called "Baume-les-Moines". A name that explained everything. With the revolution it changed to "Baume-les-Messieurs" - and now, since it is one of the most beautiful villages in France ("Les plus beaux villages de France") - it could be changed to "Baume-les-Touristes".

Baume-Abbey is really old, going back to a settlement of irish monks around Saint Colombanus within the 6th century. 732 Saracens destroyed the monastry, that got refounded in the early 9th century during the reign of Louis the Pious by Saint Eutice, a disciple of Benedict of Aniane (see "Sélestat - Sainte-Foy"). End of the 9th century the Normans raided Burgundy over years - and Baume-Abbey was in ruins again. Monk Berno, sent from Autun, refounded the abbey a second time - and had success. Actually he had such a wow, that in 910, William of Aquitaine asked him to be the first abbot of the new monastry in the village of Cluny, so by now he is known as "Berno of Cluny".

The village and the monastry are surrounded by 200m high cliffs, of which only small parts are visible standing in the former cloister.