4/3/25 - Mécénat, restauration - Angers, Abbaye du Ronceray - Legend has it that brambles entwined the foot of a statue of the Virgin found in 1527 in the crypt of the Abbey of Our Lady of Charity, which was henceforth called Ronceray Abbey. Founded in Angers in 1028 by the Count of Anjou, Foulques Nerra, and his wife Hildegarde, it was subject to the rule of Saint Benedict and welcomed daughters of the nobility (ill. 1). Consecrated in 1119, its church is a masterpiece of Romanesque art; the nave, covered by a large and bold barrel vault, is punctuated by remarkable capitals and decorated with paintings from the mid-13th century, including the coat of arms of Blanche of Castile. The influx of the faithful led the abbess to have the Trinity parish church built in the 12th century, adjoining the abbey church (ill. 1), which is characteristic of the ornate Romanesque style. The abbey underwent numerous alterations, particularly in the 17th century.
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- 1. View of Ronceray Abbey and the Église de la Trinité on the right
Photo: Ville d’Angers - See the image in its page
Abandoned after the Revolution, in 1813 its bell tower collapsed on the choir and the south transept. Then the École des Arts et Métiers, which had been located on the site since 1815, logically modified the premises, notably with the addition of buildings and workshops. The abbey church was classified as a historic monument in 1840, the convent buildings in 1986. The city of Angers finally bought the whole complex in 1998, but for security reasons, the premises are rarely accessible to the public, except on Heritage Days or for cultural events, so that this heritage gem remains unknown to the people of Angers.
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- 2. Gate of the western courtyard of Ronceray Abbey
seen from the rue de la Censerie.
The gate is made up of two doors.
Photo: Ville d’Angers/J.M. Romet - See the image in its page
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- 3. Western courtyard gate
seen from the abbey church
Photo: Ville d’Angers/J.M. Romet - See the image in its page
The whole is in a generally poor state of repair. The forecourt is damaged, the tufa eroded and the masonry disjointed. Restoration work undertaken at the end of the 1950s saved the church thanks to structural repairs to the vaults, the installation of a roof, the reconstruction of the walls and repairs to the floors. But this work also had unfortunate consequences: the consolidation of the building with a concrete frame and cement grout led to the ingress of salts that damaged the tufa stone and the murals. The passage of time, bad weather and a lack of maintenance only made matters worse.
It was not until 2021 that the City of Angers undertook new restoration work. Studies began in 2023: the polychromatic features in the nave and aisles were surveyed, while archaeological excavations were carried out on the western forecourt. A study of the ground has made it possible to consider the installation of a reception building, while preparations are under way to bring the entire monument up to standard. The aim is to open the abbey to the public.
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- 4. South Portal of Ronceray Abbey
located on Place de la Laiterie
Photo: Ville d’Angers/J.M. Romet - See the image in its page
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- 5. Jules Rohard (dates unknown)
Gateway and, in the background, the west façade of Ronceray Abbey
Pen, watercolour - 31 x 21.5 cm
Angers, Musée des Beaux-Arts
Photo: Musées d’Angers - See the image in its page
The first stage of this vast restoration campaign concerns the south gate leading to Place de la Laiterie, and the gates of the western courtyard, on Rue de la Censerie (ill. 2 to 5). For the west gate, the masonry will have to be restored, and the top aedicule and pediment rebuilt. On the south portal, the restorers will focus on the tufa stones, the jointing and the consolidation of the facings; the fire pots will also have to be restored. In the courtyard, the floor needs to be redone.
The cost of this first phase amounts to 400,000 euros. The City of Angers, in partnership with the Fondation du patrimoine, has launched a fundraising campaign to raise 80,000 euros.