Sleeping in a monastery: what is it like?

Can you sleep in a monastery? The answer in two sentences

Yes. Most abbeys and monasteries have a guesthouse that welcomes anyone who asks, believer or not, for one or several nights. You sleep in a simple room and live at the pace of the community, joining its times of prayer if you wish.

RITRIT's partner communities, in France, Italy and other countries, welcome guests in this way.

Why do monasteries welcome guests?

Hospitality has been part of monastic life from the start. In his Rule, Saint Benedict devotes chapter 53 to guests: "Let all guests who arrive be received as Christ." Communities do not run a hotel: they open part of their home to those who come looking for quiet, prayer or time to think.

The guesthouse: what is the room like?

The guesthouse is the building, or the wing of the monastery, set aside for guests. A brother or sister guestmaster welcomes you there and remains your contact throughout your stay.

• The room: simple, usually single, with a bed, a table and somewhere to put your things. Depending on the place, the shower and toilet are in the room or on the landing.
• The size: it varies a great deal. The Carmel of Frileuse, in the Essonne, has 5 rooms; Lagrasse Abbey, in the Aude, has 29.
• The enclosure: some parts of the monastery are reserved for the community. The church, the guesthouse and often the grounds remain open to guests.

Bed linen and towels are not provided everywhere: check the place's page before you pack your bag.

What is a night in a monastery like?

You usually arrive in the afternoon. The guestmaster shows you your room and gives you the timetable, which follows the monks' day, shaped by the monastic offices.

• In the evening: vespers, then dinner, often eaten in silence while someone reads aloud. Compline, the last office of the day, opens what monks call the great silence, which lasts until morning.
• At night: the monastery is quiet. This is often when the difference with ordinary life is felt most.
• In the morning: the first offices begin early, from 4:45 am at Échourgnac Abbey, at 6:10 am at Lagrasse. No one is obliged to get up for them.
• When you leave: you will sometimes be asked to strip your bed or lend a small hand at the guesthouse.

How many nights should you stay?

Most RITRIT partner places welcome guests for 1 to 7 nights. One night lets you discover the place; two or three give you time to leave your usual rhythm and enter that of the community. For a first time, a weekend is a good start.

Who can sleep in a monastery?

Everyone: people on their own, couples, families, groups, students who come to revise. You do not need to be a believer to be welcomed.

Each community states whom it welcomes. On the map of places, the "Who for?" filter lets you sort by audience: men, women, couples, families, young people or groups.

How do you book a night in a monastery?

On RITRIT, choose a place and your dates, and send your request. The community receives it and replies to you. As for costs, most communities ask for a freewill offering, according to your means; each place's conditions are shown on its page.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need to be a believer to sleep in a monastery?

No. Communities welcome believers, non-believers and seekers alike. You are only asked to respect the quiet of the place.

Do you have to attend the offices?

No. Guests are welcome at the offices and at Mass, but everyone organises their time as they wish.

Can you stay for just one night?

Yes, most places accept one-night stays.

Are meals taken on site?

In most guesthouses, yes. Meals are shared with the other guests, often in silence, sometimes in the refectory with the community.

Can you talk with a monk or a nun?

Yes, on request. The guestmaster can arrange a conversation with a member of the community.

Where to sleep in a monastery in France

Five places, in five different regions:

• Lagrasse Abbey, in the Aude, with the Canons Regular of the Mother of God, in an abbey founded in 779 (Occitanie region);
• Notre-Dame d'Aiguebelle Abbey, in the Drôme, with Trappist monks, since 1137 (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region);
• Jouarre Abbey, in Seine-et-Marne, with Benedictine nuns, 70 km from Paris (Île-de-France region);
• Échourgnac Abbey, in the Dordogne, with Cistercian nuns, in the middle of a forest (Nouvelle-Aquitaine region);
• the Basilica of Vézelay, in the Yonne, with the brothers and sisters of the Monastic Fraternities of Jerusalem (Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region).

For each region, our destination pages present the monasteries that welcome retreatants.