The Abbey of Ste. Anne de Beaupré is a fictional Benedictine monastery located on the northern coast of France. One of Jamie's six Fraser uncles, Alexander, is abbot there. Claire and Murtagh bring Jamie there to recover after his ordeal at Wentworth Prison.
History[]
Built in the twelfth century, the abbey is an enormous structure surrounded by a wall, whose gates stand open during peacetime to allow easy traffic to and from the nearby village. Besides the main church, there is the Chapel of St. Giles, where the Blessed Sacrament resides. The herb garden and greenhouse are tended to by Brother Ambrose, in whom Claire finds a kindred soul. The guest wing is comfortably furnished, with tapestries hung on the walls.
The abbey has a renowned library, whose collections draw visiting scholars like Father Anselm. The library has a high ceiling, with Gothic columns that join in ogives in the multi-chambered roof. It has full-length windows, some of which are made of stained glass depicting scenes from the Bible.
Out on the grounds, there are fish pools near the kitchens, kept warm with water from hot mineral springs. These flow into an underground cavern beneath the abbey, where a lake of hot mineral water is accessible by several flights of stairs, descending deep into the earth.
Events of the Novels[]
Outlander[]
Claire and Murtagh bring Jamie to the abbey after his ordeal at Wentworth Prison. He falls deeper into depression and despair, until Claire uses unorthodox methods to draw him out of himself.
Dragonfly in Amber[]
As they consider their next move, Claire and Jamie meet with Jamie's uncle Alexander, the abbot of Ste. Anne, and he imparts the knowledge that His Highness Prince Charles Edward Stuart would soon be arriving in Paris. The abbot, a trusted ally of King James, had received a proposal from that exiled monarch, in which travel expenses and a small stipend would be provided in exchange for assisting his son Prince Charles in Paris.
Trivia[]
- Aberdour Castle was used to stand in for the abbey in the Outlander television series.[1]
- There is a town in Quebec, Canada, called Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, and the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré is set along the Saint Lawrence River.
TV Series[]
In the television adaptation, the abbey is in Scotland instead of France, and Jamie's uncle Alexander is not present.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ Historic Scotland – Places to visit » Events » Outlander