Bellevaux
Title
Bellevaux
Also Known As
Belevaux, Bella Vallis, Bellae Valles, Bellavaux, Bellevault, Bellevaulx. Belleveau, Bellevaux, Belleveaulx, Bellevox, Belvaux, de Bellis Vallibus, eccl. Bellevallensis
Dates
Founded 12th c.; dissolved 1790
Dedication
Mary; Paul
Affiliation
Medieval Diocese
Circary
History
There are conflicting origin stories for Bellevaux. One dates it to the mid-12th century on the initiative of Guillaume III, count of Nevers; another to a generation later, by husband and wife Roscelin de Marmagne and Dameronne. It was likely initially a double house.
Bellevaux enjoyed close links with the comital family of Nevers. The abbey suffered major fires in the 14th and 16th centuries. It was substantially rebuilt ca. 1610-1645, and became a commendatory abbey in 1618. Bellevaux was suppressed at the Revolution and passed into private hands. Bellevaux's 13th-century church survives.
Bellevaux enjoyed close links with the comital family of Nevers. The abbey suffered major fires in the 14th and 16th centuries. It was substantially rebuilt ca. 1610-1645, and became a commendatory abbey in 1618. Bellevaux was suppressed at the Revolution and passed into private hands. Bellevaux's 13th-century church survives.
Heads of Community
Abbots
Eudes, fl. 1209
Regnaud, fl. 1253
Jean, fl. 1311
Renaud, fl. 1338
Guillaume, fl. 1372
Jean de Lambert, fl. 1457
Guillaume de Maraffin, fl. 16th c.
Eudes, fl. 1209
Regnaud, fl. 1253
Jean, fl. 1311
Renaud, fl. 1338
Guillaume, fl. 1372
Jean de Lambert, fl. 1457
Guillaume de Maraffin, fl. 16th c.
Status
Abbey
Archival Sources
Nancy, Bibliothèque Stanislas
MS 1750 (992 vol. 3), fols. 69r-71r
Nevers, Archives départementales de la Nièvre
147 J 70 (1193)
147 J 71 (1194)
147 J 72 (1430)
147 J 73 (1218)
147 J 74 (1222)
147 J 75 (1228)
147 J 76 (1230)
147 J 77 (1233)
147 J 78 (1233)
147 J 79 (1476)
147 J 80 (1245)
147 J 81 (1248)
147 J 83 (1253)
147 J 84 (1271)
147 J 85 (1261)
147 J 86 (1262)
147 J 87 (1282)
147 J 88 (1264)
147 J 89 (1262)
147 J 90 (1266)
147 J 91 (1266)
147 J 92 (1269)
147 J 93 (1269)
147 J 94 (1269)
147 J 95 (1270)
147 J 96 (1270)
147 J 98 (1307)
147 J 99 (1276)
147 J 100 (1277)
147 J 101 (1277)
147 J 102 (1281)
147 J 103 (1281)
147 J 104 (1282)
147 J 105 (1282)
147 J 106 (1282)
147 J 107 (1283)
147 J 108 (1285)
147 J 109 (1291)
147 J 111 (1292)
147 J 112 (1292)
147 J 113 (1292)
147 J 114 (1292)
147 J 115 (1293)
147 J 116 (1294)
147 J 117 (1294)
147 J 118 (1294)
147 J 119 (1294)
147 J 120 (1295)
147 J 121 (1295)
147 J 122 (1297)
147 J 123 (1298)
147 J 124 (1299)
147 J 126 (1303)
147 J 127 (1426)
147 J 128 (ca. 1307)
147 J 129 (1310)
147 J 132 (1315)
147 J 133 (1316)
147 J 134 (1317)
147 J 135 (1317)
147 J 136 (1322)
147 J 137 (ca. 1330)
147 J 138 (1332)
147 J 139 (1336)
147 J 141 (1337)
147 J 142 (ca. 1338)
147 J 143 (1352)
147 J 144 (1353)
147 J 145 (1362)
147 J 146 (1369)
147 J 147 (1421)
147 J 148 (1374)
147 J 149 (1375)
147 J 150 (1386)
147 J 151 (1407)
147 J 152 (1420)
147 J 153 (1421)
147 J 154 (1423)
147 J 155 (1429)
147 J 156 (1430)
147 J 157 (1431)
147 J 158 (1447)
147 J 159 (1457)
147 J 160 (1457)
147 J 161 (1458)
147 J 162 (1460)
147 J 163 (1461)
147 J 164 (1464)
147 J 165 (1464)
147 J 166 (1469)
147 J 167 (1471)
147 J 168 (1481)
147 J 169 (1481)
147 J 170 (1495)
147 J 171 (1506)
147 J 172 (1507)
147 J 173 (1507)
147 J 174 (1522)
147 J 175 (1526)
147 J 177 (1559)
147 J 219 (1367)
147 J 305 (1438)
147 J 306 (1461-1551)
147 J 596 (1277)
147 J 1115 (15th-17th c.)
Paris, Archives nationales de France
L//998, Dossier 3. (72 items, 1209-1597)
MS 1750 (992 vol. 3), fols. 69r-71r
Nevers, Archives départementales de la Nièvre
147 J 70 (1193)
147 J 71 (1194)
147 J 72 (1430)
147 J 73 (1218)
147 J 74 (1222)
147 J 75 (1228)
147 J 76 (1230)
147 J 77 (1233)
147 J 78 (1233)
147 J 79 (1476)
147 J 80 (1245)
147 J 81 (1248)
147 J 83 (1253)
147 J 84 (1271)
147 J 85 (1261)
147 J 86 (1262)
147 J 87 (1282)
147 J 88 (1264)
147 J 89 (1262)
147 J 90 (1266)
147 J 91 (1266)
147 J 92 (1269)
147 J 93 (1269)
147 J 94 (1269)
147 J 95 (1270)
147 J 96 (1270)
147 J 98 (1307)
147 J 99 (1276)
147 J 100 (1277)
147 J 101 (1277)
147 J 102 (1281)
147 J 103 (1281)
147 J 104 (1282)
147 J 105 (1282)
147 J 106 (1282)
147 J 107 (1283)
147 J 108 (1285)
147 J 109 (1291)
147 J 111 (1292)
147 J 112 (1292)
147 J 113 (1292)
147 J 114 (1292)
147 J 115 (1293)
147 J 116 (1294)
147 J 117 (1294)
147 J 118 (1294)
147 J 119 (1294)
147 J 120 (1295)
147 J 121 (1295)
147 J 122 (1297)
147 J 123 (1298)
147 J 124 (1299)
147 J 126 (1303)
147 J 127 (1426)
147 J 128 (ca. 1307)
147 J 129 (1310)
147 J 132 (1315)
147 J 133 (1316)
147 J 134 (1317)
147 J 135 (1317)
147 J 136 (1322)
147 J 137 (ca. 1330)
147 J 138 (1332)
147 J 139 (1336)
147 J 141 (1337)
147 J 142 (ca. 1338)
147 J 143 (1352)
147 J 144 (1353)
147 J 145 (1362)
147 J 146 (1369)
147 J 147 (1421)
147 J 148 (1374)
147 J 149 (1375)
147 J 150 (1386)
147 J 151 (1407)
147 J 152 (1420)
147 J 153 (1421)
147 J 154 (1423)
147 J 155 (1429)
147 J 156 (1430)
147 J 157 (1431)
147 J 158 (1447)
147 J 159 (1457)
147 J 160 (1457)
147 J 161 (1458)
147 J 162 (1460)
147 J 163 (1461)
147 J 164 (1464)
147 J 165 (1464)
147 J 166 (1469)
147 J 167 (1471)
147 J 168 (1481)
147 J 169 (1481)
147 J 170 (1495)
147 J 171 (1506)
147 J 172 (1507)
147 J 173 (1507)
147 J 174 (1522)
147 J 175 (1526)
147 J 177 (1559)
147 J 219 (1367)
147 J 305 (1438)
147 J 306 (1461-1551)
147 J 596 (1277)
147 J 1115 (15th-17th c.)
Paris, Archives nationales de France
L//998, Dossier 3. (72 items, 1209-1597)
Reference
AD, 115-117
BOP, I: 66-67
CG: 256141 (1289)
Cottineau, I: col. 334
GC, XII: 683-685
Hugo, I: 267-270
MdC: Abadia de Notre-Dame de Bellevaux
MP, III: 143-145, 636
PAS: Church (exterior); church (exterior); abbey (exterior); abbey (exterior); church (exterior); church (exterior)
POP: Ancienne abbaye de Bellevaux
VW, 28
BOP, I: 66-67
CG: 256141 (1289)
Cottineau, I: col. 334
GC, XII: 683-685
Hugo, I: 267-270
MdC: Abadia de Notre-Dame de Bellevaux
MP, III: 143-145, 636
PAS: Church (exterior); church (exterior); abbey (exterior); abbey (exterior); church (exterior); church (exterior)
POP: Ancienne abbaye de Bellevaux
VW, 28
Bibliography
Cachet, Jean-Charles. “Guerry, abbé de Bellevaux, vers 1256.” Bulletin de la Société Nivernaise des Lettres, Sciences et Arts, 1923, 101. https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k5490593t/f101.item.
———. “Quelques abbés de Bellevaux.” Bulletin de la Société Nivernaise des Lettres, Sciences et Arts, 1923, 90–91. https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k5490593t/f90.item.
Plouvier, Martine. “Visite de l’abbaye de Bellevaux.” In Grandes et petites figures de l’ordre de Prémontré. Les prémontrés et la justice. Actes officiels des 36e et 37e colloques du Centre d’Études et de Recherches Prémontrées. Auvergne, 2010 - Normandie, 2011, edited by Martine Plouvier, 33–36. Laon: Centre d’études et de recherches prémontrées, 2017.
Image Credit
Bellevaux Abbey, 2015. Wikimedia.
Last Updated
Oct. 2026.
Files
Collection
Citation
“Bellevaux,” A Premonstratensian Atlas, accessed October 16, 2026, https://yvonneseale.org/atlas/items/show/146.
Geolocation
Item Relations
| This Item | DependentOn | Item: Neuffontaines |