Monasteries that make food and drink are among the most unique and rewarding travel destinations, combining medieval architecture, monks and nuns, a little mysticism, and some truly divine chocolate, cheese, beer, spirits, and other delicacies. From the French Alps to Kentucky bourbon country, monastic orders have been making delicious things for more than a thousand years—and culinary tourists are often welcome to sample their handiwork or even stay overnight for a suggested donation typically ranging from the price of a hostel to that of an inexpensive hotel (with three daily meals included). Here are some of the tastiest pilgrimage sites in Christendom.
Photo Caption: Ruins of the original Orval Abbey in Belgium
Jean-Louis Zimmermann
Abbaye Sainte-Madeleine du Barroux, France
Hearty artisanal
bread is the specialty at the abbey of Sainte Madeleine in the Vaucluse, a hilly region known for its vineyards and biking trails. Highlights on the grounds include the beautiful abbey church, which was built to look Romanesque but is in fact new, and the lovely gift shop, where you can stock up on the abbey's wine as well as large loaves of crusty bread baked by the monks.
Where: Near Beaumes-de-Venise in Vaucluse, France, about 40 minutes from
Avignon or
Orange by car
For more info: www.barroux.org
Anthony / Flickr
Abbey of Gethsemani, Kentucky
The Abbey of Gethsemani is famous for being home to monk and prolific writer Thomas Merton, a builder of spiritual bridges between East and West. In fact, the Dalai Lama paid a visit to Merton when he lived here (the author died in 1968). This is also
bourbon country, and the monks make a mean bourbon fruitcake (pictured above) as well as bourbon fudge made with fair trade chocolate.
Where: Near Bardstown,
Kentucky For more Info: www.monks.org
will_cyclist
Abbaye de Tamié, France
Arriving at Tamié Abbey is truly like stepping into a scene from
The Sound of Music. The monastery is perched in a halcyon valley in the
French Alps, and the only approach is via a long, winding mountain road that keeps the spot secluded from the outside world. Aside from the cinematic scenery, the abbey offers a guest house that feels like a Swiss chalet and a delicious
cheese that still tastes of alpine meadows. For stunning views of the Combe de Savoie and Mont Blanc, drive five minutes south to the historic Tamié Fort, which features a botanical trail in the summer.
Where: Near Albertville in Savoy, France
For more info: www.abbaye-tamie.com
Leonieke Aalders
Abtei St. Hildegard, Germany
"Gaze upon the beauty of the green earth. Now think." What better place to heed the words of a 12th-century mystic than at the verdant abbey that bears her name? While you're gazing and thinking, you can sip some of the nuns' excellent
Riesling or fire-breathing eau de vie and snack on an unusual array of spelt products. Vineyards and hiking trails stretch as far as the eye can see. Plenty of restaurants within walking distance offer the chance to fill up on German staples like wiener schnitzel and sauerkraut.
Where: Near
Rudesheim, Germany
For more info: www.abtei-st-hildegard.de
Bruno Conquet
Abbaye Notre-Dame de Bonneval, France
Nuns at the Abbey of Bonneval have been making
chocolate from scratch since just after the French Revolution. Choose from chocolate bars in dark, milk, and coffee flavors, or try the heavenly liqueur-filled sweets. Locals often drop by to gather chestnuts and wild mushrooms. Join them or enjoy a peaceful visit spent sipping hot cocoa in the guest house and taking long walks in the woods.
Where: Near Espalion in Aveyron, France
For more info: www.abbaye-bonneval.comPhoto Caption: Abbey of Bonneval near Espalion in Aveyron, France. Photo by Bruno Conquet/Flickr.comSam Beebe / Flickr
Our Lady of Guadalupe, Oregon
Our Lady of Guadalupe may have a southwestern name, but it's nestled in the hills of Oregon wine country, where the monks run a brisk business storing some of the Willamette Valley's best
wines. They also make brandy-soaked fruitcake and date-nut cake. Miles of hiking trails criscross the property, which also has a top-notch book shop and charming guest houses perched like storks next to a serene lake.
Where: Near Lafayette,
Oregon For more info: www.trappistabbey.org
Bernt Rostad / Flickr
Abbaye Notre-Dame d'Orval, Belgium
Orval Abbey has it all: a rich history (including a legend about a damsel in distress and the magic trout who came to her rescue), a world-class
beer, an onsite cheese factory, and the ruins of a medieval monastery that lie in the shadow of a stunningly beautiful new one. Beer fanatics can tour the abbey's brewery museum (pictured above) while other visitors pop into the pub, zen out in the rock garden, or peer through a rose window in the ruins of the old abbey that now frames only a forlorn patch of sky.
Where: Near Florenville,
Belgium For more Info: www.orval.be
Spencer Brewery
St. Joseph's Abbey, Massachusetts
