Abbeys monasteries and convents Franche-Comté

Founded in 1214 by baron de Donzy Hervé IV and Mahaut de Courtenay his wife, this priory belongs to the realm of Val des Choux. Plundered and burned by the Protestants of La Charité-sur-Loire in 1569, it only remains today vestiges of its church, which however highlight its vast proportions. The tour of the outdoor is on appointment for groups from the Donziais Tourist Office.

There is still no Cistercian abbey but the chapel, bread oven and vines, exploited nowadays in the tradition of origin.

Le Petit Roi de Grace is a wonderful statuette made of polychrome wood, 58 cm high and sometimes adorned with sumptuous clothes. It was probably carved by a noble of the name Gaston de Renty. In 1643, he offered it to Marguerite Parigot, a carmelite carmelite carmelite. Entering the Carmel of Beaune at the age of 11, she would have had visions of the child Jesus as well as a gift to help the difficult childbirth, heal new babies and fight sterility. In his prayers, she saw the birth of the future King Louis XIV, born after 12 years of marriage. Many miracles allow Marguerite to be revered since, under the name Marguerite du Saint-Sacrement. Today, the sisters of the community of the Beatitudes leave the monastery to leave their place to 3 carmelite apostolic sisters of the child Jesus from Poland. If they were to expand their community, the place itself was recently proclaimed "sanctuary" and could gain importance as a place of pilgrimage. Don't forget to go through the magnificent Jardin du Petit Roi de Grace: A quiet area, outside the world, ideal for recharge. It houses the chapel in which the statue of the King of Grace is located. A scenic project is being considered to animate the garden and to live the place in a new way.

The Abbaye du Val des Choues is an island in the middle of the Châtillonnais forest and falls under the great religious movement of the West of the 11th and 12th centuries. This building has as an authorizing officer Eudes III, duke of Burgundy in 1193. Inspired by Cistercian and Benedictine rules, Val des Choues scatters up to seventeen monasteries throughout Europe. Inès and Michel Monot invite you to come and join them to discover the boar hunting in their new museum opened in July 2017. Beyond its dramaturgy, you discover the history of hunting in the "Curograph of the equivalence of things and of the beings, animals and humans". The room of the temptation of trophies, echoes, silence, hallali, the workshop of the tailor and the opera of nature have been arranged in the Abbey with the contribution of contemporary artists. Every day, at 4 pm in the high season, do not miss the spectacular soup of dogs. The 150 dogs of tricoloured English-French breed by the crew Pique'avant-Bourgogne are waiting in silence for their master's signal. You will enjoy the gardens where Inès Monot offers basins, vases, flower boxes and Medici style sculptures to decorate your garden. During the season, two guest rooms are available.

Founded around 450, Moutiers-Saint-Jean Abbey is one of the Oldest in Burgundy. Transferred to the current site in the th century about, there are finally not so many remains of that time. Indeed, the th century abbey was destroyed in the Revolution. The most beautiful remains were transferred to prestigious museums: at the Cloisters Museum in New York, at the Louvre in Paris or in Dijon. The buildings that can be discovered today are the work of reconstruction in the late th century. However, the visit is very interesting. It is possible to discover the lounges and the decorations of stucco, the bishop's bathroom, the bedroom of his valet, the cloister gallery and still the staircase inscribed in the Historical Monuments… Every year, novelties await you: exhibitions, precious objects, wood panelling… Good to know: by paying your entrance, you participate in the safeguarding of the monument.

A th century private historic monument, La Ferté is one of Cistercian abbeys. The location of the Germain Palace now houses guest rooms. Guided tours allow you to discover the th century interiors, the park and the outbuildings. In the spring, La Ferté welcomes rare plants. In July-August, guided tours for children aged 7 and over are organized. This includes costume guided tours with th-century clothes. A playful way to discover the property and customs of the time. All three guest rooms are housed in different abbey areas. The Colombière is set in a former th-century colombier, the Porterie is a beautiful, comfortable and spacious suite housed in the abbey's official entrance with magnificent stone walls and the Chambre room is a beautiful room with authentic and authentic furniture in the palace. A wonderful place to discover summer with family or couple for visits that combine charm, romance and historical richness

Founded in 1974 by the Carmel of Nancy, this monastery was erected in 1986 as a Carmel of the Byzantine rite. It is in this spirit of respect for the oriental tradition that the Carmelites practice the "writing" of icons in their monastery. The icon is an image for worship before being a work of art; it finds its deepest meaning in the liturgy lived: either in the church, or at home, in family or personal prayer. The Church blesses the icon, making it worthy of veneration. The "writing" of icons requires preparation; it is done in faith and prayer, it is a meticulous work that requires much attention, from the preparation of the board for painting to the final varnishing. The Carmelites have transformed the outbuildings into a guesthouse and a large attic into a library. A collection of about 500 volumes, mainly specialized in patristic, ecumenical, Carmelite and iconographic fields, is at the disposal of the guests.

Services : Matins at 6am, Divine Liturgy (Eucharist) at 7am, Third-Acathist-Sex at 11.30am, Vespers at 5pm. Saturday and Sunday Vespers at 6pm and in winter at 5pm Resurrection Vigil, Third-Acathist-Sext at 9.30am, Divine Liturgy at 10am.

Reception : some rooms are available for those who wish to share the prayer and silence of Carmel. Shop: this is an online shop where you can order the monastery's publications as well as painted or pasted icons, postcards and rosaries.

Founded four centuries ago, in 1616, at Moulins in the Allier, this monastery was restored after the Revolution at La Charité-sur-Loire in 1818, then at Nevers in 1854. In 1908, the nuns went into exile in Belgium and returned to Nevers in 1935. And it was in 1993 that the Salesian community of Visitandines settled at the foot of a hill, on the route des Saulaies, on the banks of the Loire. Their guesthouse, located in a green and silent setting, can welcome you for a spiritual break not exceeding 8 days. A 3.5 km long footpath runs along the Loire River in front of the monastery, and is a great place to go for a walk.

You can share the services with the community. On Sundays: readings at 8am, Lauds at 9am, midday at 11:30am, Vespers at 5:45pm, Eucharist at 6:30pm. During the week, readings at 7:30 a.m., matins at 8:30 a.m., Eucharist and midday at 11 a.m., Vespers at 6 p.m., Compline at 8:30 p.m. On Wednesdays, the day of desert, Eucharist at 11:00 am. The services are celebrated in private.

The Visitandines receive young women, ladies and nuns who wish to spend a few days in silence and prayer to take stock of their situation or to better face everyday life with a stronger faith. They can also receive men and pilgrims from Santiago de Compostela. All these people can, if they wish, meet a nun. Books are at their disposal and they can also ask for recordings of conferences to help their meditation.