to the Order's headquarters, Lérins Abbey on the island of St. Honorat, near Cannes. A small community returned in 1988 as a priory of Lérins. The monks who live at Sénanque grow lavender (visible in front of the abbey, illustration, right) and tend honey bees for their livelihood. It is possible for individuals to arrange to stay at the abbey for spiritual retreat. Two other early Cistercian abbeys in Provence are Silvacane Abbey and Le Thoronet Abbey; with Sénanque, they are sometimes referred to as the "Three Sisters of Provence" ("les trois soeurs provençales"). Gallery References Dimier, Père Anselme, 1982: L'art cistercien. Editions Zodiaque: La Pierre-qui-Vire. Fleischhauer, Carsten, 2003: Die Baukunst der Zisterzienser in der Provence: Sénanque - Le Thoronet - Silvacane.. Abteilung Architekturgeschichte des Kunsthistorischen Instituts der Universität zu Köln. Cologne University. Morin-Sauvade, Hélène & Fleischhauer, Carsten, 2002: Sénanque. Editions Zodiaque: Paris. External links Sénanque Abbey Web site Catholic Encyclopedia: Sénanque Gallery of images and groundplan Edmond M. Obrecht: "The abbey of Sénanque", bibliography. Photos of Senanque Abbey Buildings and structures completed in 1178 12th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in France 1148 establishments in Europe 1140s establishments in France Religious organizations established in the 1140s Cistercian monasteries in France Romanesque architecture in Provence Buildings and structures in Vaucluse Christian monasteries established in the 12th century Churches in Vaucluse