# Magnificent Monastic Hotels The Fontevraud Abbey is Rich with History By Vasiliki Marapas | Published 2014-08-19 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fontevraud-abbey References: [dezeen](http://www.dezeen.com/2014/08/19/agence-jouin-manku-saint-lazare-priory-into-modern-hotel-restaurant/) & [patrickjouin](http://www.patrickjouin.com/en/) Agence Jouin Manku transformed the interior of the Fontevraud Abbey, a hotel and restaurant that was formerly the Saint-Lazare priory. Designers Patrick Jouin and Sanjit Manku worked with a palette of wood, metal and fabric that beautifully accompanies the building's original stone work. The biggest challenge was to assimilate a 21st-century design sensibility for a building, that, in its past life, functioned as a hospital and hospice for nuns. The designers explain that they wished to toe the line between tradition and modernity with this project. They hope to present the history of Saint-Lazare as a physical, tangible journey, one which ultimately marries "emotion, sensual pleasure and poetry." Inside, the space has been decorated with free-standing furniture that has been custom designed, and operates as a divider, along with its functional capabilities. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.5/10 - Popularity: 15% | Activity: 22% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Monastic-inspired Design:** Exploring how historical and religious spaces can be transformed into contemporary living and working areas. A business opportunity includes creating bespoke and sustainable furniture for monastic living spaces. - **Heritage Tourism:** Exploring how historical spaces can be repurposed as accommodation for heritage tourism. A business opportunity includes creating tours and immersive experiences that let visitors immerse themselves in local history, and culture. - **Sustainable Design:** Exploring how historical spaces can be transformed into contemporary living and working areas while incorporating sustainable design. A business opportunity includes developing eco-friendly materials for preserving and repurposing historical buildings and monuments. ### Who This Affects Most - **Hospitality Industry:** The hospitality industry could look to transform historical buildings into luxurious accommodation options for heritage tourism, drawing in tourists interested in experiencing local history and culture. - **Furniture Manufacturing Industry:** The furniture manufacturing industry could create and market bespoke and sustainable furniture for monastic living spaces, using eco-friendly materials that also incorporate traditional design elements. - **Architecture and Design Industry:** The architect and design industry could explore how to incorporate sustainable elements, while maintaining historical structures that exude cultural significance. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [17th-Century Converted Hotels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/locke-de-santa-joana.md) - [Mountainside-Inspired Bespoke Hotels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bouchardon-hotel.md) - [Opulent French Hotels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/chteau-la-banquire.md) - [Brutalist Hotel Transformation](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fairmont-golden-prague.md) - [Tranquil Architectural Hotel Redesigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nobu-hotel-palo-alto.md) - [Restored Historic Cliffside Hotels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/borgo-santandrea.md) - [Cross-Cultural Influenced Apartments](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hotel-de-sagonne.md) - [Japanese Archipelago Resto Interiors](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/labysse-monte-carlo.md) - [Oasis-Like Urban Hotels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/oasislike-urban-hotel.md)