\b0 The three Cistercian abbeys of SΘnanque, Silvacane, and Thoronet are sometimes called the
\i ôthree sisters of Provenceö\i0 and it is true that all three of them adhere closely to the prescriptions of the order. The abbey of Thoronet was built at the end of the twelfth century and its abbot was Foulques of Marseilles, a former troubadour of g
reat renown who took the monk's habit and became Bishop of Toulouse in 1205. The abbey is a marvelous example of the purity, simplicity, and serene austerity of a place conceived for prayer, contemplation, and sacred chanting (the acoustics in the church
are exceptional). The complex is laid out on classical lines: the church adjoins the cloister, onto which open the chapter house and refectory, with the cells upstairs, the storeroom on the ground floor, and somewhat more isolated, the building for lay
