The abbey was initially supported by donations from a couple knights, some other nobles, and the bishop of Limoges. Gerald's successor, a hermit named Roger, expanded into a "chain" of monasteries under the umbrella term "Order of Dalon," named for the Dalon River Valley.
In 1142, several monasteries in France and abroad were reforming themselves by adopting the more strict Cistercian Rule. Dalon Abbey in Saint-Trie and its daughter houses joined the Cistercian Order in 1162 under the command of its third abbot. Dalon opted to be a daughter house of the Cistercian Pontigny Abbey (also founded in 1114 as a Benedictine Abbey by a relative of Bernard of Clairvaux). This brought it to the attention of the Plantagenets, and Henry II, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and Richard I all became patrons and offered it their protection.
The well-known lord of Hautefort and troubadour Bertran de Born retired there as a monk after the death of his second wife. A son from that second wife, also named Bertran, joined him.
Much of the abbey compound has fallen into ruin. It is now private property, and the surviving structure has been adapted into a private dwelling (see above).
I mentioned that Gerald de Salles set up "communities" of hermits, which seems like a contradiction. Gerald was a follower of Vitalis de Savigny, whose simple lifestyle was an inspiration. Vitalis is venerated in the Catholic Church as a saint, who is not listed as a patron saint of anything in particular, but if he were, it would be of preventing wife abuse. I'll explain tomorrow.
