Pictures & testimonies

Crédit photo: H. Kirchem

Memories of a stay in Septfontaines

"A big thank you to Septfontaines' owner for devoting her entire afternoon to our little group. She enchanted us with her enthusiasm. Thanks to her explanations, we discovered the rich history of the abbey and how it was rejuvenated by her family. What a delightful moment in such a peaceful place."

Maryse

(France)

after a guided tour

"A fantastic place to take a break and focus on the essential aspects of life."

Christian

(France)

workshop participant

"If you want to find yourself in History, if you love ultimate cultural relaxation, if you like the culinary excellence of champagne, the stunning landscapes of Haute-Marne and love to stretch time...

Then, and only then, you're ready for the beauty and comfort of the Abbey of Saint-Nicolas de Septfontaines.

I know I am."

Coen

(the Netherlands)

after an overnight stay

"During a recent trip to Europe, we spent two nights at the Abbaye. Our stay there was the highlight of the trip. We especially enjoyed our accommodations, the beautiful grounds, the excellent cuisine, and the warm hospitality of the proprietors. The Abbaye has a genuine atmosphere that is difficult to find in today's commercial world. "

Georges

(USA)

after a week-end in the region

"The most memorable moment was when I arrived at the Septfontaines: these magnificent landscapes, these people coming from such different horizons gathering in such a unique monument..."

Léandre

(Rwanda)

summer school participant

"Except in Paris, Nancy or Dijon, nothing would happen? Mistake! In an exquisite setting, for twenty years now, people have been learning sculpture or graphic arts, enjoying the simple pleasure of attending a concert or visiting an exhibition... This venue is called the Septfontaines abbey. On the evening I discovered it, people from France, Japan, Mexico, Portugal and Germany gathered there. And we cheerfully spoke in French, Spanish, German, English, Portuguese..."

Gîte Bévau

(France)

after a concert organised by the association

"Als ich das erste Mal von einem Musiker von Septfontaines hörte, wusste ich: das möchte ich kennenlernen.

""When I first heard about a Septfontaines, I knew I wanted to get to know this place. And there it was: I love this place, its peace, its spirit and again and again, when I walk through the corridors, I have the impression of travelling through time for seconds, to perceive the shadow of the past in the present. Septfontaines is a place to come to inner peace, and to then release creative forces again. It is a great achievement to preserve this former abbey in this special and very unique spirit. I am very happy to have met Septfontaines and its owners."

Gisela

(Allemagne)

painting workshop organiser

"This is simply a magical place; and I do not use those words lightly. I have been teaching and researching for forty years and it is difficult to think of a more special venue with such a wonderful atmosphere."

Paul

(United Kingdom)

guest lecturer at high-level academic event

"My first weekend in Septfontaines, about thirty years ago, hosted me as a photographer. I would have liked to put everything on the roll to take it with me. But how to capture the flapping of an elegant bird's wings back under the chapel's vault ? The sound of a step on the stone of the great cloister? The silvery glow of a carp in the pond? The bright yellow of the rapeseed fields all around? The majesty of a century-old boxwood? The enchanting silence, the time that no longer passes?

My last stopover lasted more than a year. I took fewer and fewer pictures. Poetry and beauty cannot be locked in a box. They are to be enjoyed with humility in certain rare unique places."

Geneviève

(France)

painter

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