"This mutilated church, open to the skies and home to the birds, together with the serene charm of the delightful gardens within the ancient monastic walls, are all imbued with a sense of meditation."
"A visitor, wishing to drink deeply from the secret charms of Villelongue, will stop here a while. At the bottom of the gardens sits an unusual square, ageless dovecot (pigeonnier). At its the foot, fed by the fresh waters of the Vernassonne stream, lies a long pond teaming with life. Sun-drenched walls covered in trellises frame the interior gardens - the whole floating between heaven and earth, ever changing colours with the hours and the seasons. If time permits the stroller pauses here to taste for an instant the calm of eternity."
Latticed willow hedges, an aviary, water features and a garden filled with gourds all entice the visitor into a voyage back in time. Here is a creative space filled with poetry for those with just a little curiosity.
The gardens of the Abbaye de Villelongue have featured in :