This is the story of a moron on tour. Or better an unprepared moron or one who got the information but forgot the essentials.
OK, from the beginning. This is about Senanque, the second of the tree sisters of important cistercian abbeys. First when I visited Gordes I was wise enough to check (hard, as no good mobile internet in Gordes) if Senanque takes an break during lunchtime. Of course they do! So we visited Vaucluse first.
After the visit we arrived at the upper parking-space of Senanque. The view on the abbey is great, what a start!
After a few hundred metres we reached the main parking-lot and took some pictures of the abbey. Many will know the pictures with the blooming lavender in front, but itīs was too early in the year for it.
We entered the abbey to buy tickets. First I learned, that itīs only possible to visit the still by monks occupied abbey without guided tour until 11:00. After lunchtime you have to do a one hour guided tour. OK, not so good. Second I learned, that the tour starts at 14:30, 15:30, 16:30 and 17:00. It was 14:35, we were still able to see the 14:30 tour but not allowed to attend. So we had to wait nearly one hour. Nasty! But not enough, the tour was only offered in French, a language I absolutely donīt understand. Aaaaah! In this moment I could have beat and kick myself. To make it short after one wasted hour we attended a tour with one hour talking we didnīt understand. Mostly a boring event.
First we got an introduction, around 15 minutes talking. At least I could sit. After it we went to the dormitory.
Another 20 minutes or so explanations....... Next came the church and as you have to be silent in a church no explanations and we left relative fast.
After it we went to the cloister and got........ facts about it I guess.
There came a lot of explanations about the warm room
and chapter house.
We stayed in the cloister and after what felt like another eternity we survived!
OK, I didnīt prepare myself properly, I should have visit Senanque first this day. My own fault. Beside my own stupidity Senanque is without question beautiful and worth a visit.