La Clarté-Dieu Spiritual Center
A unique place in France bringing together Franciscan brothers, sisters, and lay people, located in Orsay, 30 minutes southwest of Paris, La Clarté-Dieu welcomes all those seeking time for retreat and rest in an atmosphere of peace, kindness, and interiority.
Each year, several thousand people, Christian and non-Christian alike, stay here for a few days to connect, experience disconnection, contemplate and find renewal.
Retreats organized by the community
The history of La Clarté-Dieu Franciscan spiritual center in Essonne (91)
After World War II, the Franciscan Brothers of Île-de-France, cramped in their Poissy monastery, decided to establish a new spiritual center in the town of Orsay, in Essonne (91).
Conceived from its origins, La Clarté-Dieu spiritual center was intended to be a center for spiritual and intellectual formation, with accommodation capacity for 80 religious. The project came to fruition when they acquired a beautiful wooded park with a pond. Spanning over 4 hectares, it is located less than 20 km from central Paris.
Designed by architect Emmanuel Besnard-Bernadac, recipient of the prestigious Prix de Rome, La Clarté-Dieu is among the most ambitious modern monasteries architecturally. As such, the spiritual center is listed as a Historic Monument. Built in the Franciscan spirit between 1953 and 1956, the monastery is striking for the simplicity and serenity it emanates.
Today, each year, La Clarté-Dieu allows nearly 12,000 people to find a place conducive to renewal and theological formation, organizing various gatherings and celebrations highly appreciated in the region.
The Franciscan sisters, brothers, and lay people living on-site
A house of welcome and fraternity, La Clarté-Dieu is also a place dedicated to reflection and intellectual research. This continues the history of this house, which at its creation was responsible for the formation of young Franciscans. This mission of transmission, reflection, and openness to the universal remains, and each year several dozen events open to all are organized.
The Franciscans are distinguished by the profound poverty in which they live, as well as the attention they pay to protecting nature. Born over 800 years ago, Franciscan spirituality is striking for its modernity and resonates more than ever with the challenges of our time.
Inspired by Saint Francis of Assisi (1181-1226), La Clarté-Dieu perpetuates the primary vocation of the Franciscans, which is to bring the treasure of spirituality to the heart of the world, to reach out to the margins, and to dare a world of mutual and fraternal recognition: in true fraternity.
Concretely, the great "Franciscan family" brings together three orders founded by Saint Francis himself in the 13th century. The first gathers the Friars Minor (the Franciscans), the Capuchins, and the Conventuals. The second order is that of the contemplative Poor Clares. In the third order (formerly called the third order), there are the regulars, meaning all those who obey a monastic "Rule" of life, and the seculars, who live in the world and include committed lay people, single or married.
In Orsay, two communities are present:
- A community of three Franciscan brothers, involved in the spiritual animation of the center and the Orsay region.
- A community of four sisters, who always provide a warm welcome to the guests in their care!
What to expect during your stay
Making a spiritual retreat near Paris
In Orsay, it is possible to experience times of spiritual renewal year-round, alone, as a couple, as a family, or in a group… Up to 150 people! The spiritual center also offers preached retreats twice a year. These generally take place during Advent and Holy Week.
If you wish, and without it being a requirement for a spiritual retreat, you have the opportunity to participate in the daily liturgical offices of the two communities and even discuss with a Brother or Sister.
Otherwise, you are entirely free to organize your schedule as you see fit. Would you like to participate in the life of the spiritual center? Gardening or manual work are possible.
For students in the Paris region, La Clarté-Dieu is the ideal place for exam reviews, preparing for competitive exams, or writing your thesis! You will find: calm, nature, and even study rooms.
Accommodations at La Clarté-Dieu retreat
On the practical side, the spiritual center has:
- 79 rooms (shared, double, or single)
- 3 rooms accessible to people with reduced mobility (the center has an elevator and accessible parking).
- Three chapels (no less) and even an oratory.
- 1 reading room with a richly stocked library.
- Several study rooms.
- 7 meeting rooms that can accommodate from 15 to 120 people, each equipped with a projector and sound system allowing for exceptional video conferences: ideal for seminars!
- WiFi connection throughout the entire house.
- A bookstore offering many books on Franciscan spirituality for adults and youth, as well as an important selection of current books and reflections on the challenges of our time.
- A large 4-hectare park with a beautiful pond, perfect for camping and meditation. The spiritual center also welcomes small groups of scouts on weekends.
As for meals, these are taken at the communities' table in the Center's refectory. You can have breakfast, stay on half board, or full board. And if you wish to do some shopping, the charming town center offers all possible amenities and even a market.
Geography and activities
Near the Saclay plateau, a place of calm and renewal
La Clarté-Dieu is located in Orsay in the department of Essonne (91), near the Saclay plateau.
A preserved living environment between urban and rural areas, at the gateway to the Chevreuse valley. You will find the farmland closest to Paris here.
Two rivers cross the territory: the Yvette, which originates in the department of Yvelines before flowing into the Orge at Epinay-sur-Orge, and the Bièvre, which comes from Yvelines before reaching Paris. The Center is located a few hundred meters from the Yvette and the Bois de la Grille Noire, both accessible on foot or by bike.
For sports enthusiasts, you will find in Orsay: a swimming pool with a Nordic pool, a tennis court, a golf course (10 km away), and even an equestrian center (8 km away). In short, no need to travel far to find a green space for walking. Everything is nearby:
- Coming on foot? Take a tour of the arboretum of Paris-Saclay University, walk on the paths along the Yvette, in the Bois de la Grille Noire…
- Traveling by bike? Ride near the retention basins, along the numerous farms, ponds, and channels of the Saclay plateau...
- By car? Discover the medieval tower of Montlhéry, the Fauvettes viaduct, the châteaux of Dampierre, Madeline, or Sceaux…
Practical information
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