Around the Golden RatioNovember 2012 – June 2013

Collège Jean Rostand - DRAGUIGNANCollège Jean Rostand - DRAGUIGNAN

Carole Terpereau – May 2013

Le Thoronet Abbey is 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“.

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

In the Cellar

In the Cellar

In the Cloister

Our group in the Cloister

Around the Lavabo

The ceiling of the Lavabo’s room

In the Cloister

In the Cloister

In the Dormitory with our guide

Along the wall

The garden of the Cloister

View from the wall

Pupils are discovering the incredible acoustics inside the Church.

The Church

The Chapter House

After lunch in the lay brothers’building

French pupils are working on Maths activities proposed by our guide

Emma is drawing golden rectangles usedfor the construction of the Le Thoronet Abbey

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

coudée pied empan palme pouce

coudée : pied ≈ 1.618

pied : empan = 1.618

palme : empan ≈ 1.618

palme : pouce ≈ 1.618

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

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

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

A right angled triangle

A square

A square

A rectangle

With the knotted rope, pupils are measuring the lengthand the width of the inside of the church.

The dimensions of the church are in the Golden Ratio.