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Belleperche

Belleperche laid its foundations on the banks of the Garonne, on the edge of Gascony. Founded in around 1130-1140 by a family of knights, it was affiliated in 1143 and transferred to the site where it stands today. 42nd daughter-house of Clairvaux, in the XIIIth century it was one of the richest abbeys in the south of France, specialising in wine growing and cattle and mule farming. In around 1230, work began which led to the reconstruction of an enormous monastery. Weakened by the hundred years' war, the abbey recovered in the XVth century, but the religious wars brought it to the brink of ruin. It re-established its position in the XVIIth century and sheltered up to 30 monks who developed the hotel business. Bought at auction in 1791 by a merchant, Belleperche remained private property until 1983 when it was bought by Tarn-et--Garonne county council, thus paving the way for renewal with the restoration company followed by an art of entertaining museum, decided in 2002. At Belleperche, the centuries roll into one: the ?passage? and the ruins of the XIIIth century refectory, the infirmary integrated in the 1730s attic, the XVIIIth century refectory, the grand staircase, the dining room and the drawing room decorated with plasterwork. The guest rooms, the drawing room and the winter dining room, the prior's room, the abbot's symbolic room, the cell corridor and the apartments modified in the XIXth century can be found upstairs.