Moissac Cloister and Abbey

The Cloister at Moissac is the oldest in the world. Patricia and I went when everyone else must have been at lunch because we had the entire place to ourselves. It was beautiful and peaceful and felt like a sacred moment. The arches were decorated with amazing carvings and the pinkish stone and brick archways were lovely. There was an enormous pine tree in one corner of the grassy interior. We climbed the stairs to the upper level which was under the old bell tower and looked into the Abbey. 

The Abbey was empty as well after everyone left from mass. There were a lot of interesting and moving pieces of artwork around the sides of the sanctuary and the walls and ceiling had been restored and repainted. I'm going to go to Vespers and the pilgrim service soon. 

I just returned from Vespers at the Abbey. The nuns' singing was angelic. The acoustics were fabulous in the sanctuary and I thoroughly enjoyed the service even though I didn't understand most of it.

Moissac was an important Abbey and there is an exposition of some of the beautiful illuminated manuscripts from the 12th C onwards. One more place that I will need to research when I return.