Un très beau village: Lonlay l'Abbaye

The village green and orchard

Finally, after nearly two years away, we were able to visit Lonlay l'Abbaye again this September! What a welcome sight were the broad lawns of the green, the weathered stones of the abbey, the slope of the main street, and the good-humored folks who tend to every corner of this well-maintained village. A lowkey but joyful homecoming for us.
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The weather was perfect, with just a few rainshowers to refresh the flowers and lawns, and seeing so many butterflies and birds was a delight.

The end of the rainbow just slightly left of our house with the white door.

Archways of the ancient abbey

Despite more than a year of pandemic woes and surely much less tourism than usual, the village looked prosperous and cheerful. We had read of several projects that the resourceful mayor and his staff had brought to fruition, including renovation of the former veterinary into a group gîte, a childcare center, groundbreaking on a new senior living space and another major building project that will transform some disused village homes into six new residences very close to our house on Place Jules Levée. Somehow the mayor obtained 750,000 euros for that project!

Wild white roses

Bridge across the Égrenne in the middle of Lonlay l'Abbaye

The Égrenne river running through Lonlay l'Abbaye. Cobbler's cottage in background.

Bridge across the Égrenne river

Purple flowers beside the stream

Very old fountain in the main square

Mysterious purple door between the Abbey and the Mairie

Computer work center and the doctor's office housed in the renovated abbatial offices

Proud homeowner's cascading floral arrangements

Flowers on a private bridge

Lonlay was festooned with flowers, along the riverbanks and in planters and windowboxes all over the village. We had heard that the village "fête" (that usually features spectacular fireworks) was cancelled this summer due to Covid concerns, and I suspect that some of that budget may have been wisely redirected toward buying more flowers to brighten the streets. An annual contest for floral displays at individual houses encourages delightful color in the narrow passageways.
An association called "Les Plus Beaux Villages de France" (The Most Beautiful Villages of France) counts 159 small villages among its members. They are mainly in areas of natural beauty, must number fewer than 2000 in population, and must have at least two national heritage sites. Lonlay has the abbey (11th to 15th centuries), and a historically classed Merovingian tomb (Le Sarcophage de la Thomassière) on its outskirts. I'm sure that I am not alone in thinking Lonlay l'Abbaye's charm could certainly merit designation as one of the most beautiful villages in France.
While we were visiting, a crew from TF1 (a major French tv channel) was interviewing the mayor and other residents for their perspectives on keeping rural village life alive and well.

Back of the Abbey and offices now housing the Mairie and other functions

Backside of the Abbey - open to the public

Private gardens across from the Abbey grounds

The contiguous Abbey, Mairie, computer work center, media center and doctor's office in renovated quarters

Looking toward the square from in front of the Mairie and the Abbey

A walk around the back side of the stately abbey brings you along another small tributary and to a look across some private gardens before coming out again to the main square. One of our favorite things to do in Lonlay is to explore all of these picturesque locations on foot. No need for a car during a short stay.
Our little dog Pipkin was also keen to explore this new land, which was like Mars to her, as it was her first visit to Lonlay. We found we needed to bribe her almost constantly with treats to stay calm at our feet if we stopped for a glass of wine on the terrace of the bar/tabac or took her to lunch at the Relais.
One morning she ran loose out the door of where we were staying, and I was afraid she would wind up in the road in traffic. Lonlay is a relatively quiet village, but in the morning and late afternoon, it does see a fair amount of cars and enormous container-sized 18 wheelers delivering goods to the scattered villages. Fortunately, she ran back to me on the green just a few minutes after her disappearance and greedily ate the end of the baguette I had for her!

The Relais de l'Abbaye restaurant

Lovely view of the square and the abbey from the terrace of the bar/tabac

A gift of pamphlets to prepare for longer stays

The Relais de l'Abbaye restaurant is a surprise for visitors. The front section on rue du Centre looks like a casual coffee shop, but more formal tables are laid out in a light-filled room at the back, and outdoor tables are available in fine weather. The young couple who run it (husband is the chef and his wife is the hostess and waitress) are very friendly and hard-working. The restaurant is only open for lunch Monday through Friday, but we went every day we could, as the meals are delicious and varied. You can have a starter and main dish or main and dessert with wine and coffee for only about 15 euros, with a choice from among three starters and three mains. Or you can have all three courses for just a little more.
An example of what you might have: a choice of cold terrine of salmon, hot quiche or salad with gésiers, followed by either pork roast, rumsteak with pepper sauce or sandre (a flaky fresh water fish) in sorrel sauce. Your choice of red, white or rosé wine in a small carafe.
A very genial place, so inviting and enticing for both local folks and visitors. One day when we were there, they served lunch not only for the normal number of tables (about 10) but also for a group of 20 who had reserved one long table and a special menu in advance!
Down closer to the abbey and adjacent to the bakery, the bar/tabac is run by the wife of the baker with help from an assistant in the morning hours. In the early evening, their terrace is a wonderful spot for an aperitif. We were warmly greeted as regulars after a few days, and the baker's wife gave us some pamphlets for exploring the surrounds of Lonlay on one of our next trips. She was very patient with our wiggly pup, and brought her a big plastic bucket to drink from.

Salle Sainte Thérèse on the right of the driveway down to the village green

Countryside farm on the road to Beauchêne

Poster for "The Mauritanian," a 2021 film based on the true story of an innocent held in Guantanamo. "Désigné Coupable" ("Presumed Guilty" or "Deemed Guilty") in French.

Lest you think that entertainment in Lonlay l'Abbaye is limited to eating and drinking and countryside walks (as refreshing as those can be), there are often recent movies being shown in the community center (the Salle Ste Thérèse) and other dinners, dances or plays organized by social groups in Lonlay and the surrounding towns. 
While we were there, we were fortunate to hear a choral concert of Renaissance sacred music by the composer Josquin Desprez in the setting of the abbey. The choral group Metamorphoses is known for performing Desprez's classic works, particularly this year, 500 years after his death. They were more popular than we expected, because about 200 people attended the Sunday afternoon concert. 
Before the concert, we chatted on the bar/tabac terrace with some ladies who had driven from Alençon (about an hour away) to hear the music. We were impressed that they had come prepared for the afternoon with their own jar of paté and cutlery, so all they needed was bread from the bakery and a glass of wine.

As is the case with all of the restaurants, bars and group gatherings indoors anywhere in France at the moment, we were asked to show our proof of vaccination "passe sanitaire" before entering the abbey. We sat masked at the very back of the church. Acoustics were a bit problematic for the contrapuntal music, but some contemporary work inspired by Desprez at the end was glorious. The singers were all very accomplished and the audience appreciated them very much. 
If you are interested, this is an example of their singing Desprez's work on Youtube:

Pipkin, who had been left behind with a special soft-boiled egg in her dish as a bribe, was adorably quiet. We all went out for a walk after dark, and revelled in the peaceful quiet of the night.

Sunset from rue de Stogursey in Lonlay l'Abbaye

Our shadows on the Abbey

The quiet moonlit night

Coming soon...Update on our house. Remaining works to be done!