The Abbey Of Hautvillers

Statue St Jean Le Baptist 

The story is told that all the inhabitants of Hautvillers are cousin's. This remarkable tale came about during an earlier age when, it is said, the monks of the abbey would visit the houses of the wives of the men folk of the village, leaving their clogs at the door. If a worker dared to enter his home whilst the monks clogs were at the door he was arrested by the local abbot and his henchmen and thrown into the dungeon, hence none ever dared to cross the monks. A kind of ongoing prima-noctis of sorts... remarkable what a little feudalism mixed with power lusting Champagne quaffing chastity will make a man of the cloth do. Still these are all just tales and dreams, aren't they?

What is not, however, is the remarkable little benedictine retreat of the abbey of Hautvillers. I approached Hautvillers from the mountainside, and the view is sensational, and to be enjoyed no matter how you arrive.

View of Hautvillers from the mount 

Wandering through the town is a delight, but the affluence is apparent, and it must have seemed as though I had just landed, with my large front and back pack on amongst the maserati's and ferrari's...

Cafe in centre of town

Town hall

If however you follow the excellent signage, before long you will find yourself at the benedictine abbey of Hautvillers. It is a curious and interesting association that benedictine and scholistica are often associated together, the monks and the nuns of the respective orders often closely connected, as they are in Casino; perhaps this is the origin of the tale, as I saw no evidence of the order of scholastica when I was in the abbey. Never the less... follow the signs and before you know it you will be inside the abbey of Hautvillers.

Brief history, perhaps less colourful...

There are some incredible relics here, with St Helene, the mother of Emporor Constantine amongst them.

St Helene relic and shrine 

The alter at the front is where you will find Dom Perrignon, intered beneath a marble sarcophagi.

But my absolute favourite, apart from the wonderful people you will meet in such places... I was lucky to meet two lovely women and a man from Leon who were there for the day as we lit candles for friends and family; was the stunning carrarean marble sculpture of St Jean le baptist, housed in a side sanctuary dedicated by the patron Victor auben Moet for the miracle of saving his nephew Jean Chandon, who fell ill at the age of 9. How different the world of Champagne would be had he not recovered. ;)

Sculpture housed in side sanctuary 

The sculpture is by Odoardo Tabacchi, and is made of Carraran marble, the same stone Michaelangelo used for much of his work, and was created in 1878. If for no other reason, come to the abbey to see this masterpiece, but of course the place is steeped in the history of the Champagne region, and is therefore unmissable.

I hope this has been a brief taste of Champagne to your liking, a colourful and effervescent journey. As ever I thank you for your time and interest and invite you once again to visit the link to charity:water to the left of the page, it is after all what the journey is all about. :)

Moet Chandon, Hautvillers, Champagne-Ardenne how different it all cold have been...