Enterprise appears to be booming for the abbeys and monasteries in France. Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic and an financial disaster don’t seem to have slowed down income for these entrepreneurs in any respect. While we have a tendency to think about these spiritual buildings solely as peaceable locations of worship with magnificent structure, they’re additionally thriving companies which have survived not simply many years, however centuries. Within the present economic system, when so many native and international companies are combating for survival, how do these abbeys and monasteries proceed to remain afloat? What’s their secret?
For a lot of of those spiritual establishments, the reply is straightforward… range and evolution. The Abbaye Saint-Martin de Ligugé, which dates again to the 4th century, is a shining instance of such range. As one income, this lovely abbey provides lodgings the place you may take pleasure in a non secular retreat. Yearly, over 4,000 guests spend time enjoyable right here within the tranquil countryside simply south of Poitiers (Vienne), while embracing their spirituality.
Different earnings comes from its charming boutique of books and artisanal merchandise, and gross sales of enamelled items made by the monks right here and bought all through France. Not forgetting its pâtisserie, Scofa – a easy, but mouth-wateringly scrumptious, almond cake. The initials of the 5 elements on this cake kind its identify (Sucre, Crême, Oeufs, Farine, Amandes) and it’s bought on the abbey, in addition to in native retailers and enormous supermarkets all through the Nouvelle-Aquitaine area.
The monks didn’t sit idly through the pandemic, selecting to make use of their time productively as a substitute. Frère Christophe of Abbaye Saint-Martin de Ligugé explains, “There was a drop in gross sales of Scofas, our tasty cake, however we took benefit of manufacturing much less pâtisserie to ramp up our manufacturing of enamelled items. We elevated our shares and now they’re promoting properly right this moment.”
Lengthy often called astute businessmen and girls, the spiritual communities in France appear to know how one can adapt to altering occasions to proceed to draw guests and produce income to their websites. Many of the abbeys and monasteries right here have some type of boutique of their grounds to advertise gross sales and enhance income, and through the Covid-19 disaster, a big majority of those turned to web gross sales once they had been compelled to shut their bodily retailers throughout lockdown.
Frère Christophe emphasises the significance of evolution. “In the course of the Covid interval, the abbey was closed, so we bought our boutique objects on-line and we developed our web site for this objective,” he states, including that it functioned very properly.
The Abbaye Notre Dame de Bonne-Espérance (Abbaye d’Echourgnac) in Dordogne additionally developed throughout this era. This magnificent Cistercian abbey, relationship again to the 19th century, has various sources of income: cheese manufacturing, non secular retreats, pottery manufacturing and an artisanal manufacturing of natural teas, sweets and jam, amongst different issues. Soeur Nathalie explains that for this abbey too, evolution has been paramount to surviving. “The change in financial situations led us to adapting our work. In September 2020, our group partnered with the Dumont household who now handle our cheese manufacturing in Echourgnac,” she says.
The Abbaye du Barroux within the Vaucluse division already had thriving gross sales by mail order and web earlier than the current pandemic even started. Its boutique showcases every thing from books (non secular and non-religious) and wine to sweets and leather-based sandals. You possibly can even buy CDs and DVDs of chants and songs by numerous spiritual communities right here. A real one-stop store for every thing you can probably need!
Every abbey or monastery has a specific speciality, produced by the location itself, then bought through the community of non secular boutiques all through France to extend income. The Abbaye du Barroux (84) is famend for its olive oil, produced by the monks there; the Trappist nuns on the Abbaye de la Coudre in Laval (53) produce hundreds of their well-known flan sachets yearly; and other people flock from everywhere in the south-west area to buy the scrumptious cheese made by the sisters on the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Bonne Espérance in Echourgnac (24). This community proves invaluable in selling a robust group spirit and growing income.
If there may be one factor the current well being disaster has taught us, it’s the worth of group. Maybe it’s this shift in attitudes which has inspired folks to spend much less on factory-produced, imported items and extra on regionally produced, conventional merchandise with pure elements? A much-needed “return to fundamentals” to remind us all the necessary issues in life. Not solely for spiritual and non secular folks, the abbeys and monasteries in France are actually wanted by all these seeking to purchase regionally, no matter faith.
Frère Christophe explains, “Monastic merchandise bear a monastic label they usually at all times promote properly, despite the fact that their value is commonly fairly excessive. They’re top-quality objects that folks love to purchase they usually’ll proceed to purchase them even in tough occasions. When it’s good, it’s price it!”
Many abbeys and monasteries in France concentrate on producing high-quality merchandise utilizing the best, pure elements to justify their value. Treatments and therapeutic remedies utilizing formulation which date again centuries kind a big a part of their boutique income. You should purchase delights such because the “Pilgrim’s Foot Balm” designed to ease the aches and pains from an extended day spent in your toes, or the “Lavender leisure spray” that will help you unwind and sleep properly after a troublesome day. Who must lay our a fortune on designer manufacturers when the attractive aroma and nurturing properties of those pure merchandise are so fascinating?
One other extremely cherished worth adhered to in all of the abbeys and monasteries in France is that of a superb work ethic. Soeur Nathalie explains {that a} typical day on the Abbaye d’Echourgnac begins with morning prayers (Vigiles) at 5.15 am and ends with night prayers (Complies) at 8.30 pm. Usually, this consists of between six and 7 hours in one of many abbey’s work areas, which embrace cheese manufacturing, pottery making and welcoming friends for the retreats.
Soeur Michelle of Abbaye de la Coudre describes an identical sample of lengthy days, incorporating prayer time and dealing hours, with the nuns starting their day at 4 am and ending with night prayers at 8 pm. Abbaye de la Coudre is a shocking, early 19th century abbey in Laval, Mayenne and the group of nuns who reside right here divide their work time between cheese manufacturing, manufacturing artisanal leather-based items and producing their scrumptious flan mixes. Initially in simply six flavours, they’ve not too long ago added pistachio and salted caramel to the accessible decisions, and Soeur Michelle provides that manufacturing continues to evolve right here.
It’s exhausting to not admire the dedication, dedication and passionate work ethic in these spiritual communities. When requested how the abbey has managed to outlive the tough, current years with a struggling economic system and one disaster after one other, Soeur Michelle solutions pragmatically, “Virtually nothing has modified for us. We’ve simply needed to work extra with the intention to promote extra as our clients have fewer means to purchase… and we’ve needed to discover new clients too.”
So, once we are counting our pennies and searching for methods to outlive these tough occasions, it may possibly’t damage to take a lesson from the spiritual orders in France – the important thing to their success lies in a robust work ethic, range and evolution. A successful mixture and one which is certain to see these magnificent abbeys and monasteries in France proceed to thrive for many years and centuries to return.
Leah Rottier is a contract author dwelling in France.
