by Jade Caillot
Royaumont Abbey is obviously a magnificent setting for all types of events. But its history, its foundation model and its artistic and cultural project give them meaning, a value appreciated by today's organizers.
Royaumont Abbey is the site of permanent encounters between heritage, creation and events. It is also distinguished by a centuries-old tradition of hospitality. Whether they come alone or in a group, in these rare venues , visitors have always been welcomed, in the etymological sense of the term: the person welcomed is cut off from his or her daily life and joins a collective space.
In this ancient place of faith, the heritage dimension is inevitable. Founded nearly 800 years ago by Saint Louis, then 14 years old, this royal Cistercian abbey is a masterpiece of Gothic art.
It stands between forests and ponds, in the Oise-Pays de France regional nature park, 30 kilometers from Paris.
Its exceptional architecture is organized around a splendid cloister and magnificent gardens. Its history is strewn with various assignments, periods of prosperity but also of decline. Royaumont Abbey has been saved from ruin many times during its history.
"The Abbaye de Royaumont is today a living place and a major cultural site open to the public, but also to artists.
Royaumont is also a place of creation. The Foundation of the same name, owner and operator since 1964, works in the service of cultural projects.
The site is an internationally recognized center for music and dance artists, who, in residence, carry out their research, creation and dissemination activities. An incubator even encourages the emergence of innovative artistic projects.
It is in this singular context that companies come to organize their seminars or their events. " The latter are even the foundation's main resource. And the revenue collected is reinvested in the structure and its projects "explains Mélanie Romain.
When a company gathers its employees for a seminar or invites its clients for a reception, it knows where the money is being spent.
"We don't have any shareholders to satisfy, everything is reinvested in the preservation of the buildings and the artistic proposal. Organizing an event at the abbey means participating fully in a project of public utility.
At a time when we need to (re)give meaning to events, in terms of both format and content, the virtuous model of the Royaumont Abbey is a relief for the organizer. In any case, it allows him to have one more element to go and get budgets internally, by telling a beautiful story, thestory of a place that lives at the rhythm of culture.
Thanks to this argument, there was a time, before the crisis, when receptions were legion at theAbbaye de Royaumont. Mélanie Romain offers an explanation for this success:
"The abbey [of Royaumont] is one of the very few heritage and historical establishments in the area that can accommodate a dinner for 400 people in a single space.
All the team has in memory the gala evening of this laboratory in international seminar in the surroundings, in January 2020, which had customized for 300 people the Refectory of the Monks on the theme: "Return of ski", with a magnificent scenography.
Since the resumption, the beautiful receptions became rarer, even if a quiver is currently felt.
Perhaps event organisers, concerned about their carbon footprint, are reluctant to organise events that would require numerous sets. Mélanie Romain notes that the projects are different today: " We are witnessing an explosion of demand that requires an eco-responsible approach. The abbey does not need to make grand speeches to demonstrate the coherence and usefulness of its project ".
In the event industry, there is a lot of talk about carbon footprints and the environment. CSR is no longer an option, but an obligation, a necessity for the event industry.
However, other subjects also respond to these responsible approaches: cultural, social or societal actions . This is illustrated by the commitments and practices of the Abbaye de Royaumont.
Responsibility is constantly on display in the seminars and study days offered. Royaumont is a popular venue for such events.
With its 10 meeting rooms of up to 250 m2 and its 53 rooms, with a view of the park or the cloister, the conditions are right for working well.
It is also in the activities offered that Royaumont finds its particularity, as Mélanie Romain justifies: " They are linked to our project and to the specificity of the place. With our partners, but also our residents, we have set up several workshops that are inspired by our project while responding to managerial issues ".
The proposal is rich:
As for gastronomy, the kitchen is made in-house and is inspired by the resources of the vegetable garden, starting with the aromatic herbs for which Royaumont is self-sufficient.
As for cocktails, they are now delegated to caterers. " The search for cohesion is really at the heart of current demandssays the Sales & Marketing Director. Our entire offer refers to this ".
After two years of crisis that have obviously had an impact on its model, the lively Royaumont Abbey, known beyond its borders, has a singular culture of hosting events that is in keeping with the times.
Organizing a seminar or an evening event there means actively contributing to a philanthropic project, a decisive act for the company and its stakeholders.
Discover the Spaces available to hire of the Royaumont Abbey to organize a responsible and meaningful event.
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