Originally published at National Catholic Register
Aubazine Abbey, a jewel of medieval Cistercian heritage nestled in the heart of Corrèze (Nouvelle-Aquitaine region), is about to be restored to its original splendor. The famous Chanel fashion house, renowned for its timeless elegance, recently pledged to finance a major part of the restoration of this historic 12th-century monument.
This gesture has deep symbolic significance, as the history of the abbey is intimately linked to that of Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, who is said to have spent part of her childhood there.
A timeless witness to the golden age of the Middle Ages, with its austere stone walls and the light filtering through its ancient stained-glass, the monument is now run by nuns of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, the last Melkite nuns in Europe.
Chanel and Aubazine
The nature of the historical links between Aubazine and the Parisian fashion icon remain shrouded in mystery. Many biographies claim that Chanel was sent to the orphanage sheltered by the abbey at the age of 12, after the death of her mother in 1895, and that it was there that she learned to sew.
There is no definitive proof of this story to date, but several clues suggest a deep
