BRAY

The site of Bray bears witness to the different status of the monks of Cluny in medieval society. Indeed, when he bought the castle of Boutavent in 1237, the abbot of Cluny had the right to justice and the tithe on the lands of Bray, which depended on it. In addition, Cluny built the Saint-Jean-du-Bois chapel there, which became a hermitage for a time. Although the Cluniac rule prescribed community life for the monks, some of them sometimes withdrew and isolated themselves from Cluny.
But the monks were fully integrated into society. They administered agricultural and wine-growing land: the Malaise estate, which Cluny created, reminds us today of this essential activity. They also served worship in the centre of the village, in the church of Saint-Quentin, dating from the 11th-12th centuries. The layout of the church is original for the region, but once inside, look out for the carvings on the capitals, which could date back to the 11th century.