Friends of Reigny Abbey

Association of

Association of Friends of Reigny Abbey

Founded in July 2005, and recognized as an association of general interest in October of the same year, the Association of Friends of Reigny Abbey (AAR)with over 300 members, brings together all those who wish to contribute to the preservation and renown of Notre Dame de Reigny, a masterpiece of Cistercian architecture.

The “Amis de l’Abbaye de Reigny” association, an organization totally independent of the owners of the Reigny estate, is all the more effective as donations and memberships multiply. These will be all the more numerous as the association will be active and prove its professionalism in the cultural activities it develops and in its participation in the restoration and preservation of the architectural and environmental heritage that the abbey estate represents.

The associative project that she has implemented was born from the desire to safeguard, restore/rehabilitate and enhance the Cistercian abbey of Reigny by making it a multicultural space and a place for artists from the French-speaking world to meet with the local public and tourists.

The aim is to promote the architectural, archaeological, rural, industrial and environmental heritage of the Abbey of Reigny and to facilitate access to culture.

In several of its aspects, the associative project has structuring functions in the field of the art of storytelling and music, as well as in the field of heritage in the Yonne region. It has outreach and proximity functions for most of the events it implements.

It is designed to benefit from the contribution of various institutional partners (State, Regional Council, General Council, Community of Municipalities between Cure and Yonne, Commune of Vermenton…).

The associative project is :

Multi-actor, it associates partnerships with local authorities, civil society and companies.
Multi-sector (heritage, architecture, reading, performing arts, visual arts, scientific culture…).
Creating links between the fields of culture, education and training to rural economic development through tourism.
Promoter of the quality of culture in all its diversity.

It allows:

A work on the valorization and development of the local potential.
Promotion of values related to cultural diversity.
Actions aimed at a wide range of audiences, especially young people

The usual actions of the association are :

The organization of events: volunteer workcamps to restore and enhance the historical and archaeological site of Reigny Abbey, exhibitions, conferences, symposiums, study trips, festivals, concerts and other artistic, cultural, scientific and technical events.
The publication and distribution of books, films and any other documents and works on existing or future tangible and intangible media.
The restoration and development of the built heritage and gardens of Reigny Abbey.
Other actions contributing directly or indirectly to the realization of the social and cultural object of the Association.

These activities are intended to be carried out in partnership with public or private, national or foreign organizations.