Solesmes

Solesmes is a commune in the Sarthe department in the Pays de la Loire region of western France. It is best known for the Abbey of Saint-Pierre de Solesmes, a Benedictine monastery founded in 1833 by Prosper Guéranger after the French Revolution. The abbey became an influential center for the revival and study of Gregorian chant, with a focus on recovering the chant as a living liturgical form through scholarly research of medieval sources and practical restoration of performance practice.

The Solesmes tradition contributed to broader Catholic liturgical reform in the late 19th and 20th centuries, and the abbey’s scholarly editions and approach to chant notation helped shape modern practice and education of Gregorian chant. The monastery remains active as a Benedictine community, continuing daily prayer, work, and study, and it serves as a site of pilgrimage and liturgical heritage. The abbey also inspired and chairs the Solesmes Congregation, a federation within the Benedictine Confederation that promotes chant, liturgy, and monastic life across member monasteries.

Geographically, Solesmes lies on the Sarthe River, near Le Mans. The town’s identity is closely tied to the abbey and its monastic life, and it hosts the historic abbey church and related religious buildings that draw visitors for their cultural and spiritual significance. The name Solesmes is widely associated with Gregorian chant through the abbey’s historical contributions to chant restoration, scholarly study, and liturgical practice.