Field trip to the « Le Thoronet Abbey » Monday 29th 2013

1. Field trip to the« Le Thoronet Abbey »Monday 29th 2013 Around the Golden Ratio November 2012 – June 2013 Collège Jean Rostand - DRAGUIGNAN Carole Terpereau – May 2013

2. Le Thoronet Abbeyis a former Cistercian abbey built in the late twelfth and early thirteenth century, now restored as a museum. It is sited between the towns of Draguignan and Brignoles in the Var Department of Provence, in southeast France. It is one of the three Cistercian abbeys in Provence, along with the Sénanque Abbey and Silvacane that together are known as "the Three Sisters of Provence“.

3. Le Thoronet Abbey is one of the best examples of the spirit of the Cistercian order. Even the acoustics of the church imposed a certain discipline upon the monks; because of the stone walls, which created a long echo, the monks were forced to sing slowly and perfectly together. The abbey is fundamentally connected to its site, and is an exceptional example of spirituality and philosophy transformed into architecture. It is distinguished, like other Cistercian abbeys, by its purity, harmony, and lack of decoration or ornament. ① The Abbey Church ② The Cloister ③ The Dormitory ④ The Cellar

4. In the Cellar

5. In the Cellar

6. In the Cloister

7. Our group in the Cloister

8. Around the Lavabo

9. The ceiling of the Lavabo’s room

10. In the Cloister

11. In the Cloister

13. In the Dormitory with our guide

14. Along the wall

15. The garden of the Cloister

16. View from the wall

17. Pupils are discovering the incredible acoustics inside the Church.

18. The Church

19. The Chapter House

20. After lunch in the lay brothers’building

21. French pupils are working on Maths activities proposed by our guide

22. Emma is drawing golden rectangles used for the construction of the Le Thoronet Abbey

23. Chaimae, Pierrine & Mewenn are making rulers with a rope to measure lengths in the Abbey using old units

24. coudée pied empan palme pouce coudée : pied ≈ 1.618 pied : empan = 1.618 palme : empan ≈ 1.618 palme : pouce ≈ 1.618

25. Pupils are now measuring ratios between several dimensions on architectural elements in the Cloister with their ropes

29. Guillaume is noting down all measures on a document given by our guide

31. Pupils are now creating several geometrical shapes with a 13-knotted rope.

32. A square A right angled triangle

33. A square A rectangle

34. With the knotted rope, pupils are measuring the length and the width of the inside of the church.

35. The dimensions of the church are in the Golden Ratio.