Châtelard Jesuit Spiritual Center
Located west of Lyon, the "capital of Gaul" and the countryside, the Châtelard Spiritual Ecocenter has embraced a new ecological approach since 2023, while nurturing the Ignatian spiritual tradition.
Châtelard is a peaceful and green place where a community of Jesuit priests resides. They welcome individuals, couples, and families for preached spiritual retreats throughout the year, as well as groups.
Retreats organized by the community
Châtelard, from the 18th century to the Ecocenter
Since 1929, the Châtelard Spiritual Center, located near Lyon, has been a place conducive to silence, prayer, and meditation on the Word of God. Faithful to the tradition of the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, it welcomes anyone, alone or as a couple, searching for meaning, discernment, or going through an important life stage.
Châtelard offers a wide variety of retreats: times of silence, personal accompaniment, weekends for couples and families (before or after marriage), themed sessions around existential or societal questions, as well as formation programs in residential or alternating formats.
In June 2023, after a year of reflection, Châtelard began its transformation into a Jesuit spiritual ecocenter. While remaining solidly rooted in Ignatian spirituality, the center is evolving to integrate current ecological concerns into its mission. The traditional offerings of the Spiritual Exercises continue, but new ecospiritual dimensions now enrich the programming.
Eventually, a collective of residents from different states of life (priests, religious men and women, laypeople) will come to inhabit the place, consistent with this vision of integral ecology.
Brief history of the Ignatian family
Founded in 1540 by Ignatius of Loyola, the Society of Jesus is a religious order whose members, called Jesuits, seek to follow Christ in their daily lives.
The Jesuit is above all a companion of Jesus. His life is based on a personal relationship with Christ and on the conviction that it is possible to encounter God in the concrete reality of today's world. This search is both interior and turned toward others: helping each person find meaning, discern, and move forward in their life.
Jesuits live in community, in a framework of shared life that offers support and balance. But they are also connected to an international dimension, present in many countries, with the same desire to serve humanity in its diversity.
Their approach is rooted in the experience of the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola, which nurture a very particular way of living and acting, often called "the Jesuit spirit". Among its key elements:
- Discernment: learning to listen to what is happening within oneself to make more just and aligned choices.
- Review: taking a step back from daily life to better understand what fosters growth.
- Magis (more): wanting to move forward, surpass oneself, give the best of oneself.
- A positive outlook: first placing a look of benevolence on people and situations.
- Going to the frontiers: being able to act in very different environments, with varied audiences, without compartmentalizing.
- Contemplation in action: living engaged in the world while maintaining a deep connection with what animates us internally.
What to expect during your stay
The model of the Ignatian Christian retreat
The Châtelard Spiritual Center's program includes each year more than 100 different offerings, accessible to everyone: individuals, religious or laypeople, groups, families, or couples.
You can experience:
- silent retreats according to the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola,
- themed retreats (listening, trust, interior life...),
- discernment weekends around major life questions,
- times as a couple or family to pause together,
- formation programs, particularly in spiritual direction.
Since 2023, Châtelard also offers Christian ecospiritual experiences, which integrate both interiority and connection to nature. These times combine, depending on the offerings:
- moments of prayer and silence,
- personal or collective time,
- manual or creative activities,
- simple outdoor work projects,
- and walks in the park of 36 hectares, at the foot of the Monts du Lyonnais.
A living and grounded place that invites you to slow down, listen, choose, and marvel.
Châtelard, château-style format
Châtelard has 80 rooms spread across two buildings, all equipped with a private bathroom (shower, sink, and toilet). About fifteen rooms are designed for couples, with simple and functional comfort. The site also includes:
- 12 meeting rooms and 5 dining rooms of various sizes, allowing for the accommodation of groups of all dimensions,
- 5 prayer spaces that are well-maintained and conducive to contemplation, including a large chapel and four intimate oratories.
An annex space, called the Farm, is offered in self-managed mode. More rustic, it welcomes autonomous groups (movements, Church services...) with shared bathrooms and showers.
The 36-hectare park, located at the foot of the Monts du Lyonnais, is a true green haven. It offers numerous trails for walking, breathing, refocusing, or simply discovering the beauty of the place through nearby hiking trails.
Since late 2023, a small agroecological farm, Le Courtil de Lucile, has been established on the property. It regularly collaborates with the center through partnerships and shared activities.
Geography and activities
Halfway between Lyon and the countryside
Only 8 km from the center of Lyon, Châtelard enjoys an exceptional setting: a Jesuit spiritual ecocenter nestled in a 36-hectare park, including 27 hectares of forest.
Here, the countryside begins right at the entrance to the estate, while remaining connected to the city. The place is accessible:
- by bike (about 40 minutes),
- by public transportation (about 50 minutes),
- by car, with free parking on site.
Spaces for bikes are also available in the immediate vicinity of the main building.
The park is crossed by numerous hiking trails, offering opportunities for walks in nature and discovering the landscapes of the Lyonnais.
Also take advantage of your visit to explore Lyon, a city with a rich religious and historical heritage, which you can discover before or after your retreat or session at Châtelard.
Practical information
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