[2] At the time of the establishment's foundation, the forest was much more present in the immediate vicinity of Beaugerais, but it was cleared on the initiative of the monks;[3] the abbey was then directly served by the road from Montrésor to Châtillon-sur-Indre, still visible on the Napoleonic cadastre [fr], which put its isolation into perspective.

[5] The name Beaugerais could be an evolution of the Gallic balcos, designating the muddy, vegetation-trodden lodging of a wild animal; it could also be derived from the anthroponym Bauger, common in the region.

The proximity of a pilgrimage route may have been a factor in their choice of this location, as the hermits occasionally served as guides for travelers crossing the forest in exchange for alms.

[7] Shortly afterwards, Augustinian canons from Sainte-Barbe-en-Auge (Mézidon-Canon) reinforced the hermitage, which was transformed into a monastery, as confirmed by a charter from Henry II of England, who refers to the site as Baugeseyum.

[12] A charter establishing the monks' new rights was drawn up after the fact, and solemnly signed by Henry II, King of England, who ruled the western half of France[13] at the time.

However, the Carta Caritatis ("charter of charity") drawn up under the leadership of Étienne Harding clearly states that any new foundation, in order to qualify as an "abbey", must be served, in addition to the abbot, by twelve monks (not counting the lay brothers).

[17] The abbey benefited from numerous donations (farms, land) from local lords, and its possessions extended far beyond the present-day Indre-et-Loire department, as it controlled estates in the Indre berrichonne.

[21] In addition to its numerous territorial possessions, the abbey also acquired a substantial library, much of which was found in Caen before the end of the 11th century[22] by Geoffroy de Breteuil, prior of Beaugerais from Sainte-Barbe-en-Auge,[23] who died in 1194.

[24] Correspondence between Geoffroy de Breteuil and Jean, the first abbot of Beaugerais, provides valuable information on the early history of the abbey.

[9] Throughout the 13th century, donations to the abbey continued to be made by lords from Berry and Touraine,[25] but it is difficult to draw up an accurate, detailed inventory at any given date, as Beaugerais ceded part of its holdings in return for rent.

Some abbots, such as Denis at the beginning of the 14th century, were so insistent (with threats of excommunication, exaggerated demands) that a letter from Philip the Fair was needed to encourage them to use "softer"[27] methods.

Around the middle of the 14th century, donations to the abbey ceased for good, as the monastery had to pay taxes to the kingdom to finance the Hundred Years' War.

Beaugerais suffered directly from the consequences of this conflict, its buildings being devastated - their partial destruction, mentioned in chronicles of the period, cannot be attested to by available archaeological sources[28] - and the monks certainly forced to take refuge in one of the abbey's possessions at Beaulieu-lès-Loches.

[33] From this time on - and the situation would persist over the centuries - conflicts arose between the monks of the abbey and the secular clergy of the parish of Loché, each anxious to preserve their prerogatives in the areas of processions, feasts, burials, but above all with regard to the taxes to be levied.

[41] One of the few mentions of the Wars of Religion in the history of Loché-sur-Indrois concerns Beaugerais: Claude de la Rue, abbot commendataire appointed in 1552, converted to Protestantism in 1560, but only relinquished his office a few years later.

Around this time, at least six or seven monks lived at the abbey (Michel de Marolles mentions a dormitory with ten cells), a number which fell to three at the beginning of the 18th century.

[51] The contemporary nave was built at the end of the 11th or beginning of the 13th century, a hypothesis based on the correspondence between written sources and the architectural style of the capitals.

[63] The masonry of the walls is a blend of the original regular medium-structure and irregular rubble stone from the restoration campaigns that lasted until the 20th century.

According to Michel Bourderioux's interpretation,[66] a few rare remains could be linked to them: a pointed arch on the northeast gable of the nave, a third-point bay in the extension and then the beginning of a corner return wall.

[70] Michel de Marolles specifies that this "new'' church is "[...] based on a cross in the form of several of the Order of Cisteaux, is fourteen toises long and four wide inside by seven high" [71](27 × 8 m for a height of over 13 m).

[39] The precise layout of this new abbey church is unknown; however, it is highly probable, based on the rare remains, that its nave, of which two bays are still discernible, was built as a continuation of the previous one, but was enlarged by the addition of side aisles.

[74] Michel de Marolles situated his abbot's dwelling, comprising "two upper and two lower rooms with their closets", in the southern part of the monastery enclosure, perhaps independent of the other buildings.

There is no formal evidence to suggest that it had a major spiritual influence in southern Touraine, as did its Benedictine neighbors at Villeloin and the Cartusian abbey at Le Liget.

[78] However, the existence of buildings, including a chapel, and a cemetery reserved for visitors seems to indicate that Beaugerais exerted an influence on neighboring populations, of a nature and within a perimeter that it is not possible to define.

In 1970-71, historian Don Guy-Marie Oury set out to study the religious foundations of eremitical origin in Indre-et-Loire, including Beaugerais Abbey, whose early history he described through an analysis of written archives.