To build a few kilometres from Arles Abbey Montmajour, in the X century, the Benedictine monks had to drain the local marshes. The land on which the monastery was built, was donated to the order of one noble lady, and in 948 year, he participated in a bookmark.

The monastery was widely known among the pilgrims who came in Nonmajor in order to atone for their sins by making a donation in favor of the order. At the end of X century Nonmajor became one of the richest abbeys of Provence, and remained so until the eighteenth century. From the XI century in the crypts of the monastery found the last shelter olive graphs.

Externally, the monastery built on a hill, more like a fortress, looked so powerful its construction. In the XIV century the appearance of the Abbey completed an impressive wall designed to protect the brothers-benedictins from attacks of mercenary soldiers. At the end of the XVI century, during the religious wars, the thick walls did not help the monks – they were evicted soldiers, and brothers two years lived in Arles.

The last Abbot of the Abbey (the second half of the eighteenth century) was the cardinal de Rohan, a member of the controversial episode with buying a fabulously expensive diamond necklace on behalf of the Queen Marie-Antoinette, the story of this Scam was depicted in one of the novels of Alexandre Dumas. Himself de Rohan, who wanted to gain favor with the Queen, was used by speculators and then punished by the king.

During the great French revolution, the Abbey was nationalized and sold. Dilapidated buildings of the monastery were purchased closer to the middle of the next century.

Today in the ensemble of the Abbey chapel can be seen, the watchtower, buildings in the style of classicism and earlier buildings. To the days of the founding of the Abbey is the underground chapel of Saint-Pierre, a century later, was built the Church of our lady. A little farther lies the chapel of the Holy cross, built in the XII century for pilgrims.

Nowadays, the Abbey is protected by UNESCO as a monument of history. When the Abbey houses an art gallery, where exhibitions of paintings by van Gogh and other famous artists.