Foyer Marie Jean – Maison de la Source d'Eau Vive
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In the heart of Ardèche's rugged landscapes, Foyer Marie Jean, a community of consecrated brothers and sisters, welcomes you for a retreat steeped in silence, prayer, encounter, listening, and teaching.
Retreats organized by the community
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The history of the small hamlet
The house was originally an old farmstead, with a manor house, a barn, a stable, and a coach house, uninhabited since 1957 and largely in ruins when Foyer Marie Jean acquired it in 1992.
The community was then living in Lyon and was looking for a house to offer retreats. From that point on, and for about fifteen years, the brothers and sisters rebuilt and renovated the buildings themselves.
Today, the site houses a community residence and buildings for guests and retreatants. The old barn has become the chapel, with large windows opening onto the beauty of the Ardèche mountains. Currently, all 29 consecrated brothers and sisters of Foyer Marie Jean live here (17 as of September 2024, with the others opening a new house in the Diocese of Rouen).
The brothers and sisters have arranged the "Maison de la Source d'Eau Vive" (its name comes from the fact that the house truly depends on a spring) according to Foyer Marie Jean's aesthetic. This sober, simple, and warm beauty, fruit of peace in God, touches and purifies the hearts of guests, leading them to the threshold of that divine Presence for which so many of our contemporaries thirst.
A fairly large plot of land has also enabled the development of an agro-ecological vegetable garden.
Tracing the path of Foyer Marie Jean
Genesis of Foyer Marie Jean
Foyer Marie Jean is a Catholic community of contemplative type, of brothers and sisters consecrated to God through the vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience. Founded by Nicole Échivard (Shoushân), accompanied by her husband Jean-Baptiste, Foyer Marie Jean was born in the Diocese of Lyon in the 1980s. It currently has 27 members and 2 postulants.
The sisters' branch is under the authority of a Prioress, the brothers' branch is under the authority of a Prior. The entire Foyer Marie Jean is governed by a President. To honor Mary's spiritual motherhood, Foyer's Constitutions establish that it will always be a woman who governs the entire Foyer, in collaboration with the Priors and assisted by her Council.
After a journey of deepening its vocation and gaining ecclesial recognition, it was erected in 2016 by Bishop Jean-Louis Balsa, Bishop of Viviers (Ardèche), as a "Public Association of the Faithful with a view to becoming an Ecclesial Family of Consecrated Life," of diocesan right. Foyer Marie Jean falls under the authority of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life in Rome.
The rhythm of the community's life
To live their contemplative communal consecrated life, the brothers and sisters employ the classic means of union with God, notably:
- As a community, they participate daily in the celebration of Mass (some brothers are priests) and sing Lauds, the midday Prayer, and Vespers from the Liturgy of the Hours. Most of the melodies are composed by the community, often sung in four-part harmony. The sisters and brothers celebrate the Vigils of the Resurrection on Saturday evenings and the mysteries of Holy Week and Easter Time with particular care.
- From Tuesday to Friday, they devote at least one hour daily to lectio divina, prayerful reading of the Word of God, writings of the Magisterium and saints, their Book of Life, and other spiritual texts. Saturday is a Sabbath/formation day, dedicated more particularly to formation, community gatherings for spiritual deepening, and spiritual reading.
- Each day, they devote at least an hour and a half together to silent prayer. This is a privileged time to make themselves present to God and a precious help to remain united with his Presence throughout their days, in intercession for the entire world.
- From Sunday afternoon until Monday evening, the community lives a day and a half each week of contemplation and asceticism, a beneficial and even necessary time of rest, reconnection with nature, possibly walking, and above all more intimate and personal reconnection with God.
Stimulated by listening to the Word of God, learning community relationships, and a life closely linked to nature, the community has committed itself to integral ecology. The observation of undeniable environmental and ethical degradation, and their social consequences, drives them to live it in an increasingly concrete way, in line with Pope Francis's Encyclical Laudato Si'.
Their daily life includes the many tasks, which they insist on performing themselves, proper to community life or guest hospitality (cooking, cleaning, gardening, maintenance work, some crafts). A few brothers and sisters also work part-time outside to provide for the community's needs (teachers, nurses, physician).
What to expect during your stay
Hospitality at Foyer Marie Jean
During a stay, guests' rest, meditation, and their (re)discovery of God are greatly facilitated by the splendor of the surrounding mountains, the sober beauty of the buildings, the double grace, in turn, of liturgical chant and silence, the spirit of prayer and joyful charity that animates the community in Mary, the smiling attention and discreet solicitude with which the brothers and sisters delight in welcoming them.
Preached retreats and spiritual halts
"Spiritual halts" (a weekend with four teachings) and "spiritual retreats" (a week with two teachings per day) are open to all. The teachings are given by consecrated sisters and brothers of Foyer Marie Jean who attempt to bring a Christian response to daily questions and the major challenges of the contemporary world.
Simple hospitality
The house is open throughout the year for those who wish to experience a "desert" time of a few days:
- time of silence;
- time of rest;
- time of human and spiritual renewal;
- opportunity to share in the community's liturgical life;
- opportunity to benefit from a meeting with a sister or brother of the community and/or to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Welcome for major liturgical feasts
On the occasion of major liturgical Feasts, and particularly the Paschal Triduum, it is possible to come spend a few days to benefit more fully from the Mysteries celebrated.
Intellectual work or exam preparation
It is also possible to come spend a few days to accomplish intellectual work or exam preparation in peace and in a very quiet setting. The brothers and sisters can make available to guests one or two large rooms to work in groups, with Wifi.
Group welcome
The brothers and sisters can welcome groups, to the extent that their needs can harmoniously integrate into their contemplative lifestyle. Upon request, they can offer teaching.
A guest house nestled in the mountains
The house is located within a fairly large estate in the midst of nature: the beauty of the Ardèche mountains in all seasons, the living silence of the valley, the murmur of the torrent, the whisper of water in the basins are conducive to rest and contemplation.
The guest house has about thirty rooms, with sober and warm beauty. The sisters and brothers pay particular attention to the cleanliness of the rooms and bedding. Most rooms are doubles, but single-room accommodation (except for couples, of course) is preferred. Several rooms are accessible to people with reduced mobility.
In addition to the chapel where the liturgy is celebrated, guests can pray in two oratories.
Depending on the type of accommodation, different spaces can be made available.
- For a stay in "simple hospitality": a very beautiful reception room, which also serves as a dining room/living room, reserved for guests.
- For a group stay: the teaching room Saint John the Theologian, quite large (about 100 m2), as well as smaller rooms.
- A large refectory (which can also be used outside mealtimes).
Except for groups, meals are taken in silence or with music. The last meal of retreats and preached spiritual halts is a time for exchanges. Meals are prepared with care, simple and balanced, with organic or local products as much as possible. It is possible to benefit from an adapted diet for health reasons.
Guests can discover in the community's shop its small handmade production as well as some carefully selected spiritual and ecology books.
Geography and activities
The tourist touch
The house is located in the municipality of Saint-Julien-Vocance (set apart, 3 km from the village), in northern Ardèche, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. By car, it is 20 minutes from Annonay, 1.5 hours from Lyon, 1 hour from Saint-Étienne and Valence. Located in the midst of nature, at 800 meters altitude, in the high mountain valley of the Vocance, classified as a Sensitive Natural Area, it is bordered by the Cance river. The estate is crossed by the Verdier, a small torrent.
In the surroundings of the Foyer, you can enjoy:
- numerous hiking trails accessible from the house (peaks in the surrounding area up to 1,387 meters);
- the dynamic village of Saint Bonnet le Froid (10 minutes by car) with its restaurants, spa, wine cellar, and its famous mushroom fair, not to mention its Marcon gourmet restaurant (3 stars);
- the village of Lalouvesc (20 minutes by car), a pilgrimage site, with its Basilica of Saint Jean-François Régis, which also houses the reliquary of Saint Thérèse Couderc;
- Chambon sur Lignon (30 minutes by car), internationally known for its history of welcome and refuge during World War II, hence its title, unique in France for a village, of "Righteous Among the Nations" (fascinating Memorial of the Righteous to visit);
- Puy en Velay (1 hour by car), a major Marian site and starting point of the Way of Saint James of Compostela;
- Mont Mézenc (1 hour by car), magnificent 360° viewpoint, numerous possible hikes on foot or by bicycle.
Practical information
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