Abbaye Saint-Michel de Cuxa

Saint-Michel-de-Cuxa Abbey is one of the most important heritage sites of the Languedoc-Roussillon region in France. It is also a major monument of Catalan Roman Art. Although damaged at different times in the past, it is still an exceptional site of a rare beauty. The Abbey is the private residence of a community of monks and is also a year-round tourist destination hosting cultural and scientific events during the summer. Faced with declining attendance, the Abbey needed a strategy to restore its spiritual and cultural influence. Part of the strategy would include re-positioning itself as an essential cultural destination for the region, a calendar of new programming and providing accommodation for groups.

Lordculture, the European office of Lord Cultural Resources, was selected to develop a new vision and direction for the Abbey, including a program plan, an implementation plan and a budget. In addition to identifying dynamic new programs and events for the site, the plan focused on providing easy access to the monument, developing relationships with the surrounding community including other cultural and religious attractions, planning for sustainable operations and ensuring the new Abbey continued to reflect the spiritual values at its core.