The Abbey of Royaumont is one of the founders of the network of heritage site for culture since 1972. A pioneer in the reutilization of artistic heritage since the 1930s, the Abbey has managed to become an important cultural institution of music and dance.
THE HERITAGE SITE
Royaumont Abbey was founded in 1228 by Louis IX - the future Saint Louis - with the support of his mother Blanche of Castile. Richly endowed by the king, who liked to retire there, it enjoyed great renown in the 13th century. Weakened by the Hundred Years War and the famines of the Middle Ages, the abbey was further weakened by the appointment of a commendatory abbot in the 16th century. Declared a ‘national asset’ in 1790, it had only ten monks left when it was put up for auction in 1791.
In 1905, Jules Goüin, president of the Société de Construction des Batignolles, acquired the former monastery. He continued the restoration of the buildings, which housed a hospital during the First World War. In the 1930s, his grandson Henry Goüin opened the abbey's doors to artists and intellectuals.
THE CULTURAL PROJECT
The Royaumont Foundation is an international centre for music and dance artists. It was created in 1964 by Henry and Isabel Goüin. The owners of the 13th-century Cistercian abbey that they had inherited, its mission is to preserve and enrich this heritage, to bring it to life by putting it at the service of artists and to make it accessible to the public. Its programmes of research and experimentation, training and creation centred on music and dance are aimed at professionals from all over the world. They benefit from the presence of artists and ensembles in residence and the François-Lang Music Library. They establish a fruitful dialogue between reflection on heritage and artistic invention. It also hosts business seminars throughout the year and forges close links with economic players involved in the cultural sector. Royaumont Abbey is open 365 days a year.
ACTIVITIES AND ACTIONS
International centre for music and dance artists: Royaumont is a unique place whose public events primarily reflect the time spent researching musicology and practice, rehearsing creations or transmission as part of professional training.
The Foundation is committed to the long term of creation and supports artists in their development. With its extensive music library, a Cavaillé-Coll organ and equipped workspaces such as the large attic, Royaumont is an exceptional place of residence for imagining, experimenting and transmitting.
Three artistic programmes are deployed there, based around the Voice and Repertoire Centre, the Musical Creation Centre and the Choreographic Creation Centre, complemented by the activities of the Libraries and Resources Department.
The Royaumont Foundation is convinced that access to culture and artistic practice is an essential tool for social integration. Every year, the Foundation welcomes 15,000 children and young people for activities aimed at raising awareness of heritage and artistic practice.