100% chestnut honey
Origin: France
Net weight: 500 g
The little history of the abbey
The site where the monastery of Sainte-Marie du Désert was established was first of all the place where, on the threshold of the 12th century, a young woman from the region retired to lead the life of a hermit. Over time, it became for the local population, a place of Marian pilgrimage placed under the patronage of "Saint Marie de l'Herm", because of the geographical isolation of the place (a "desert", according to the etymology ). Considered as an annex of the parish of Bellegarde Sainte Marie, the chapel which had been built there was destroyed during the French Revolution, as attested by a report of June 16, 1796.
Opening of the first François Village
PASSING OF THE KEYS OF THE ABBEY
On October 4, 2020, the first Village of François opened at the Abbey of Sainte Marie du Désert. The day before, nearly 500 people, including 150 monks and nuns, had come to surround the 8 monks for their departure and the transfer to the Village of François. During a thanksgiving mass celebrated by the local bishop, Monsignor Le Gall, the handover took place. Moved, the Father Abbot placed his cross at the foot of the altar, then handed over the keys of the abbey to the Village of François. "I entrust the abbey to you, take care", with these words, the Father Abbot has definitively recorded the handover. A page in the history of the abbey is turning after 168 years of monastic life at Sainte Marie du Désert. A departure not without sadness of course, but tinged with hope because it was recalled during Mass that "if a grain of wheat that has fallen to the ground dies, it bears much fruit". And the monks are in this hope that tomorrow a beautiful Village of Francis will be born which will bear fruit. Faithful to the vocation of the monks to carry the world and men in their prayer, the Village of François wishes to welcome the most fragile in order to raise them up, while offering them to live fraternal and benevolent relations. Father Abbot Pierre-André Burton is not mistaken: the Village of François is "a beautiful, ambitious project: families will provide a solid framework for those who are in poverty". From an economic point of view, all the activities of the monks will continue, jobs will be preserved, the monks will leave reassured. The François Village team was surprised by the large influx of spontaneous applications from exceptional families who wish to volunteer in the adventure. The Content family is the first to arrive in September (see page 7). Olivier and Marthe as well as their little daughter, arrived on October 20. During November, Aynard, Gabrielle and their two children will join the adventure. Aynard will take care of the economic development of the Village. Vincent and Yuna, a young couple, is expected in the coming days. There will also be Pierre-Henri and Ségolène, Ferréol and Ombeline, François and Jeanne… many families wish to join the Village of François soon to live this fraternity with the most vulnerable. The arrival of single people is happening gradually ... Fragile people accompanied by associations will arrive from January depending on the work. Each will be received and installed thanks to experienced associations, such as the Magdalena association for women from prostitution ... A roommate for elderly people is being prepared, with the "ThisFamily" structure. Joint tenancy projects for people who have lived on the streets or with disabilities are being studied and formalized with partners.
