Carmel of Mary Virgin Missionary
At the gates of Provence, in the heart of the Baronnies, the Carmel of Mary Virgin Missionary is home to a small community of brothers and sisters in a hamlet surrounded by gardens and pools fed by a living spring.
They lead a life of silence and fraternal communion, welcoming retreatants.
Retreats organized by the community
The hamlet of Pradiers
The Carmel of Mary Virgin Missionary is located in Drôme Provençale at the hamlet of Pradiers in the municipality of Teyssières, 15 km from Dieulefit, in the Baronnies Provençales regional nature park, on the western slope of the Lance mountain, at an altitude of 800 meters.
It is an old farmhouse dating from the 17th century, consisting of a group of buildings with exposed stone. In 1984, the farm was transformed into a spiritual center by Bruno Calvet and led by Dominican Father Joseph-Marie Perrin.
Since 1999, the community has occupied this "Desert" to live its semi-eremitic contemplative vocation and occasional missionary work. Between 2013 and 2018, nine hermitages were built and are occupied by the brothers and sisters. The hamlet consists of eight buildings containing the chapel, the refectory, the shop, the guest reception, and the community's living and working spaces.
The community of the Carmel of Mary Virgin Missionary
The Carmel of Mary Virgin Missionary is a Catholic religious community founded in 1997 in Drôme (France). It is under the authority of the Bishop of Valence.
Called to follow Christ at the school of the Virgin Mary, brothers and sisters share a community life that is semi-eremitic (hermit life) and missionary, in the spirit of Carmel. This vocation is lived through a life of silence and solitude (with the call to live in hermitage), of prayer, and also through a strong fraternal communion.
On this land of contemplation and charity, activities include work, study, hospitality, spiritual listening, and occasionally mission beyond the walls. Associated with the community of brothers and sisters is a lay communion, "Sarepta", composed of families and single people living the spirit of the Carmel of Mary Virgin Missionary in the heart of the world.
What to expect during your stay
The retreat experiences awaiting you
The Carmel offers desert days in solitude as well as customized retreats for individuals, couples, or families, lasting several days to find renewal in silence, fraternity, and the beauty of the place with:
- participation in prayer (Eucharist, liturgical offices, rosary, mental prayer),
- the opportunity to share in part the community's life (meals and work),
- introduction to desert life and spiritual life (Marian life, mental prayer),
- possibility to experience the sacraments, to meet a brother, a sister, or a priest for spiritual guidance or to reflect on one's life.
These retreats are also for those:
- searching or questioning, wishing to take a special time to listen,
- seeking a quiet place to study for exams.
Occasionally, the community offers spiritual days and special several-day events (New Year, Easter Triduum, Pentecost, Assumption, etc.).
Accommodations
Guest accommodations are distributed across three of the hamlet's buildings. There are six double rooms and three single rooms.
A self-catering cottage (Pradiers cottage) is also available for family or friends' stays (up to 6 people, not wheelchair accessible), to be reserved on the community's website.
Retreatants have access to:
- A garden and the surrounding nature.
- The community's chapel.
- Books and periodicals available or on request.
- A small meeting room.
Meals are:
- Usually shared with the community.
- Taken in silence with reading.
- Conversational and festive for Thursday and Saturday dinners, as well as Sundays.
- Can be taken alone for those who wish.
Geography and activities
The surrounding area
In the mountainous landscape of the Prealps, in a wooded and hilly domain dotted with meadows and lavender fields, the hamlet is scattered with pools fed by a spring. With more than 300 days of sunshine per year, Drôme is one of the sunniest regions in the country. Along hiking trails for horseback riding and mountain biking (or by car), you can discover the rich heritage of the region, including:
- The medieval tower of Crest.
- The medieval villages of La Laupie and Poët-Laval.
- The Romanesque church of Comps.
- The olive groves of Nyons.
- The medieval village and Dominican monastery of Taulignan.
- The château of Grignan, where the Countess of Grignan, daughter of Marquise de Sévigné, resided, and the château of Suze la Rousse.
- The Cistercian abbey of Aiguebelle.
- The gateway to Provence and the wine route (Tricastin and Côtes du Rhône).
- The Saou forest.
- The Trois Becs massif.
- The Marsanne plain.
- The diocesan Marian sanctuary of Fresneau.
If you've brought your swimsuit:
- The Lez river has its source on the property and flows into the Rhône.
- A few kilometers from the hamlet of Pradiers, swimming holes make swimming possible.
- The Drôme river also offers various possibilities for swimming, canoeing, and canyoning.
Within walking distance, you can marvel at:
- the Lance mountain (1,338 meters) and the maquis trail of Lance,
- the old villages of Teyssières, La Paillette, Montjoux, as well as the banks of the Lez,
- rock climbing sites and stargazing spots (exceptional sky), wildlife (vultures, eagles, birds, etc.), and flora.
The community's shop offers the Carmel's artisanal products: honey, aromatic plants, herbal teas, lavender and lavandin essence, rosaries, decade rosaries, candles, illuminations, leather goods, books, etc.
Practical information
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