abbaye de valsainte

The roses were in full bloom when we visited and they were sublime. What a treat to be surrounded by so much beauty. Well worth the drive.

If you enjoy the look of naturally wild gardens with little hidden nooks for you to sit down and ponder, this place will feel like a tiny slice of heaven. Flowers, plants, trees, shrubs, insects and birds grow and exist in harmony in Valsainte, but it is the roses that especially stand out. We visited a little late in the season when cooler spring weather transitioned into warmer temps, thus ultimately affecting the blooms, but the overall garden experience plus visiting the ancient church was well worth it. A plus: dogs allowed on leash and there is a bowl of water from which they can drink. Visit their website for further details and event notices.

We were enticed to this sanctuary by the beautiful gardens but it is much more.Well worth the detour....

We were driving north from Rustrel where we had been staying and came across the beautiful and quaint town of Simiane-la-Rotonde and the gardens of the Abbaye. What a hidden Gem! We had spent many hours exploring other perched villages and battling the tourist crowds but this town was just bliss. Quiet and peaceful! Such history! Such beauty! We walked down and down through the quaint streets and looked over garden walls and enjoyed it all. The visit to the absolutely divine rose garden just topped it off. Thank goodness, an owner of a restaurant in Rustrel recommended this place to us. You must go.

As part of the Jardins de l'Abbaye de Valsaintes, it is a natural part of a visit to the gardens. It is not possible to see it independently. The winter solstice is argaubly the key date to visit if the sun shines but not the best time for the garden!

It's four years since we last visited this site and it has continued to develop by leaps and bounds. With over 400 different varieties of roses in a range of different gardens, it is a place where you can spend hours just wandering about. Take a picnic - you can come and go from the big carpark all day as the nearest eating places are in Simiane la Rotonde. The best time to visit is mid may to mid june when the roses are at their best although it will always be a relaxing experience. There is no attempt to regiment the plants and everything seems to be in its natural place. Much credit is due to the enthusiasm and skill of the head gardener who also runs the pepiniere (selling roses!) adjacent to the garden. The restored church in the grounds is a lovely peaceful place with connections to prehistory.For those with euros to spend, there is an attractive gift shop.

Don't miss the gardens of the Abbaye de Valsainte if you are in the area in May or June and love roses. It is an enchanting place to spend a morning or afternoon with plenty of interesting seating areas where you can relax and enjoy the scent of the roses. If you are lucky, you may coincide with a free demonstration (in French) of how to propagate roses by cuttings, grafting & layering. The entry fee includes an informative free booklet and plan of the garden (available in English). The booklet also includes a list of all the plants in the gardens. The gardens were created in 1996 on ground which once belonged to the old Cistercian abbey, and they have been enlarged and improved every year since then. As well other plants, there are over 400 varieties of roses. They originally planted over 600 varieties but these have been now been reduced to those that are best able to tolerate drought and disease. The plants are all clearly labelled and there is also a rose nursery close by where many of the varieties of roses are available for sale. Take a picnic because there is nowhere on site to buy any food or drink.The 17th century church has been restored and can be visited.

Ce site est remarquable par sa situation et ses jardins. Cet automne a été favorable pour profiter encore de belles roses en prenant le temps de se poser. L'église restaurée est très belle, sans manquer l'exposition de sculptures sur bois.

Il est sympa que les revenus des visites soyent devoués à la restauration de l'abbaye. Quelques tournats peuvent vous décourager. Fermée le dimanche matin!

Très beau lieu , mélange de spiritualité , d'arbustes odorants , de variétés innombrables de rosesde pierres aux teintes de bronze et de calcaire .

les roses étaient fanées , le jardin bien sec ; un peu déçue, je pense que c'est une ballade a faire au printemps !

Nous avons eu un peu de mal à trouver l'endroit mais nous avons été récompensées de notre persévérance.Très bon accueil, le carnet pratique est bien documenté et instructif, puis diaporama intéressant, joli et didactique.L'église, toute petite, est restaurée avec de douces couleurs et le jardin très agréable à visiter. Nous avons admiré le jardin sec, le Dragon, le chêne remarquable, niché dans le rocher, et avons apprécié la tranquillité de l'abri.La boutique est attrayante et tentante.

Site très intéressant, avec une histoire fascinante. Le tout entouré de jardins magnifiques dont l'exploration est un rare plaisir et un ravissement pour les yeux. Si possible, faire la visite quand il n'y a pas foule pour bien apprécier l'atmosphère et l'énergie de ces lieux vénérés depuis l'âge de pierre. La visite de Simiane-la-Rotonde vaut elle aussi le détour.

Il giardino è meraviglioso e naturale al 100%, chi ama i fiori le rose non può non venire a visitare quest'angolo di paradiso. le varie aree tematiche sono divise in modo armonioso e con una armonia che lascia stupefatti. La varietà di colori delle rose e delle piante presenti, degli arbusti e degli alberi lascia senza fiato.La chiesa è restaurata e visitabile il panorama che si vede dall'ingresso è fantastico.

après la visite de la rotonde de Simiane la rotonde débordant de vieilles pierres, d'histoires et de rebondissement (on comprend bien la présence de toutes ses familles de seigneurs sur la Provence !), après y avoir vu également les laboratoires d'aromathérapie et la mise en route de l'alambic pour la fabrication d'huile essentielle de lavande (hum! ça sent bon!), passage incontournable à l'abbaye de Valsainte, qui est une suite à cette belle journée.Tout y est réussi! jardin, roseraie, quiétude, on y retrouve des parfums (papilles en activités!) et la visite de l'abbaye se révèle simple mais tranquille.Un charmant accueil pour 2 visites qui vont de pair!recommandé pour la zen attitude!