Bassac - Abbaye Saint-Étienne

The Abbaye Saint-Étienne ("Abbey of Saint Steven") was founded in 1002, the first consecration took place already in 1015. Between 1094 and 1246 the convent was depending from the Abbey of Saint-Jean-d'Angély (50kms northwest). After 1246 the convent a new church and a new cloister was erected.

During the Hundred Years War the abbey was badly damaged by English-Gascognic troops, but got rebuilt later and surrounded by a wall. During the Wars of Religions the abbey was besieged and destroyed by Protestant and later Catholic troops. The reconstruction took a century.

The restauration of the 19th century saved the buildings that since 1947 hosts convent of the "Congrégation des frères missionnaires de Sainte-Thérèse de l'Enfant Jésus".

The facade of the abbey church is clearly "saintongeais". The middle archivolt has an inscription, that reads " LE PEUPLE FRANÇAIS RECONNAIT L’ÊTRE SUPRÈME ET L’IMMORTALITÉ DE L’ÂME", what probably relates to the French Revolution.