Flaran Abbey A unique cultural discovery in Valence-sur-Baïse

Flaran Abbey: Visit a truly exceptional site!

THE CISTERCIAN ABBEY OF FLARAN (12th-18th centuries), A CROSSROADS OF HISTORY AND CULTURES

A daughter house of Escaladieu (Hautes-Pyrénées), founded in 1151 in the Baïse valley, Flaran Abbey is one of the best preserved in Southwest France. The monastic buildings and gardens, located in the heart of a park in a protected natural environment on the banks of the Baïse, perfectly illustrate a 12th-century Cistercian complex, remodeled up to the 18th century. Marked by historical vicissitudes, sold during the Revolution and in danger of being dismantled before the First World War, the site was bought back by the Gers Department in 1970, which carried out an intensive restoration campaign there from the 1980s onwards.

Since 2000, Flaran Abbey, a departmental heritage center and the heart of the Gers museum network, has housed the Departmental Heritage and Museums Conservation/Flaran, the museums and heritage directorate for the Department; throughout the year, it develops numerous scientific and cultural activities through a rich and diverse program. Open all year round, attracting the highest number of visitors in Gers for a public and paid site, boasting total accessibility to its spaces and having been awarded the "Grand Site Armagnac, Abbey and Cities" label by the Occitanie region in 2011 and then again in 2018, Flaran Abbey has become an essential heritage and cultural reference in the departmental and regional landscape.

A RICH AND DIVERSE ANNUAL PROGRAMMING

Betting on a desire for and demand for culture in a department marked by agriculture and rural life, the Heritage Department, supported by the departmental council, has chosen to offer all its audiences events and exhibitions that resonate with this remarkable site, the collections of the network's museums, and the departmental heritage in its broadest sense. At the heart of the Gers Departmental Council's cultural policy, Flaran Abbey has been home, since 2000, to landmark exhibitions that alternate between the most diverse themes, from Antiquity to the contemporary era. Throughout the year, it offers retrospective exhibitions of artists and more playful events, from contemporary art and archaeology to comics and photography, providing a succession of opportunities for visitors, whether exploring the area in the summer or attending local events, whether individual visitors, school groups, or families.

A REFERENCE COLLECTION

Since July 2004, Flaran Abbey has also housed an exceptional collection of original works by renowned artists, representative of European art from the 16th to the 21st centuries, on loan by agreement from Mr. Michael Simonow, the owner. To accommodate the collection, the monks' dormitory (18th century) underwent significant renovation, conservation measures were implemented for the exhibited works, and accessibility upgrades were made for visitors with reduced mobility or disabilities (ramps, elevator, etc.).

From now on, the works are presented semi-permanently in the dormitory cells, while the corridor and vestibule (over 400m2) host temporary exhibitions related to the collection.

Published twice a year, accompanied by an attractive catalogue, these publications focus on the major movements in the History of Art: Portraits, landscapes, animals and chimeras, still lifes… etc…

Whether young or old, individually or with family, this exceptional collection is for all those who wish to take a wonderful journey to the heart of the artistic currents of our European societies.

ORIGINAL AND INCENTIVE-BASED CULTURAL DISCOVERY MECHANISMS

To achieve this, and with the support of the Departmental Assembly, the Heritage Conservation service implements annually across the entire network around Flaran:

• Original and attractive pricing schemes to welcome the widest possible audience: low entrance fee (€7/adult); free admission for under 18s; free admission on the first Sunday of each month from November to March (local residents); free admission during national events; free admission for visitors with reduced mobility, accompanying persons, holders of the "cultural pass" or job seekers…

• A rich and diverse program of cultural and museum activities (permanent and temporary exhibitions), covering a range of themes from Archaeology to Contemporary Art…

• A program of fun educational activities and events across the entire network…

• A reference policy for mediation with regard to families, young people and school groups and/or people with disabilities or who are unable to attend school…

• A publishing activity that focuses on departmental heritage, exhibitions, or visiting artists…