. ▁It ▁was ▁intended ▁initially ▁as ▁a ▁monaster y ▁for ▁women ; ▁then ▁its ▁reputation ▁for ▁great ▁learning ▁grew , ▁and ▁with ▁the ▁aff l ux ▁of ▁men ▁wish ing ▁to ▁follow ▁the ▁mon astic ▁life , ▁a ▁parallel ▁male ▁community ▁was ▁established , ▁creating ▁a ▁double ▁monaster y . ▁ ▁The ▁ab bey ▁stood ▁in ▁the ▁Val - de - Mar ne ▁near ▁Paris ▁( in ▁modern ▁Me aux ) ▁until ▁it ▁fell ▁victim ▁to ▁the ▁dis est ab lish ment ▁of ▁the ▁Catholic ▁Church ▁in ▁ 1 7 9 2 ▁during ▁the ▁French ▁Revolution ▁and ▁was ▁dis m ant led . ▁The ▁ab bey ▁hous ed ▁an ▁important ▁script or ium ▁and ▁held ▁the ▁advantage ▁of ▁powerful ▁royal ▁connections ▁throughout ▁the ▁Carol ing ian ▁era . ▁ ▁History ▁Before ▁its ▁religious ▁design ation , ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁the ▁ab bey , ▁C ala ▁( G a ul ish ▁" a ▁collection ▁of ▁p eb bles "; ▁modern ▁Ch elles , ▁Seine - et - Mar ne ) ▁had ▁held ▁a ▁royal ▁Mer oving ian ▁villa . ▁Queen ▁Cl ot ilde , ▁the ▁wife ▁of ▁Clo vis ▁I , ▁had ▁previous ▁built ▁a ▁small ▁chap el ▁there ▁dedicated ▁to ▁Saint ▁George ▁circa ▁ 5 1 1 . ▁ ▁King ▁Ch il per ic ▁I ▁and ▁his ▁wife , ▁Fre deg und , ▁frequently ▁res ided ▁at ▁C ala ; ▁Ch il per ic ▁was ▁assass in ated ▁in ▁ 5 8 4 ▁while ▁hunting ▁there . ▁ ▁The ▁Queen - Saint ▁B