Limon Abbey
Saint-Louis-du-Temple Abbey (or Limon Abbey) and its Benedictine nuns offer you a green setting conducive to contemplation, at the gates of Paris.
The guarantee of a practical and renewing spiritual retreat!
Retreats organized by the community
Discover Saint-Louis-du-Temple Abbey, near Paris
It was in 1816, at the very beginning of the Restoration, that Mother Marie-Joseph de la Miséricorde received the Temple estate from King Louis XVIII to found a monastery there. Due to her great devotion to Saint Louis, she chose to consecrate the abbey under his patronage: Saint-Louis-du-Temple.
The sisters were expelled from the monastery in 1848 and went to live in Paris, on rue Monsieur, a place that had great influence in ecclesiastical life. They left Paris in 1938 to live in Meudon, before settling permanently in 1950 in Limon, in an abbey they helped to build.
In 1965, the Benedictine nuns of Limon founded Jouques Abbey in Provence, which itself would found abbeys in Rosans (Gard) and in Benin. The community is part of the "Notre-Dame de la Rencontre" federation associated with the Subiaco-Monte Cassino Benedictine congregation.
The sisters of Saint-Louis-du-Temple Abbey in Limon live at the heart of a remarkable site with a large green and natural space at the edge of an urban area that lacks such spaces. The monastery is a haven of peace: a place of silence amidst the noise of modern civilization; a place of prayer and gratuitousness on the Saclay plateau oriented toward research efficiency and the business world.
The Benedictine nuns of Limon Abbey
At Saint-Louis-du-Temple Abbey, the Benedictine nuns follow the Rule of Saint Benedict, a path of Gospel and Christian life for today.
On the hill overlooking the village of Vauhallan, in a setting conducive to monastic life, the Benedictines live in community, following the rhythm of the seasons and the liturgical year. Their days revolve around prayer, work, and hospitality for all those who wish to pause, find silence, stay for a few days, and participate in communal liturgical prayer, celebrated in French and Gregorian chant.
The nuns work in the guest house and in a shop where visitors can find books, religious objects, and monastic products.
The sisters have a rich heritage to share: a historical museum (souvenirs from the French Revolution, the royal family, and the foundress) and an art museum (works by Mother Geneviève Gallois – 1888-1962): author of "Le Petit Placide." Mother Geneviève Gallois also drew, painted, engraved, and created the stained glass windows of the abbey church.
What to expect during your stay
Make a spiritual retreat in Vauhallan, a stone's throw from Paris
Anyone, alone or in a group, can come for a spiritual retreat at Limon Abbey. The sisters do not lead retreats, but all retreatants are invited to participate in communal prayer times. It is possible to speak with the guest mistress during your stay for conversation or spiritual guidance. Depending on your needs, a meeting with the sisters' chaplain can be arranged for spiritual direction or a sacrament.
A retreat at Saint-Louis-du-Temple Abbey is a time to find silence, contemplate, pause, meditate, pray, and reflect.
Guests are completely free to organize their days as they wish: divine offices, oratory, library, walks... The abbey is blessed with a green environment and numerous walks are possible around the abbey. Maps and trail guides are available at the guest house.
As a sister and artist at Limon Abbey liked to say: "It's the most beautiful abbey in the world!" Beautiful because the nuns love living there and sharing with the world around them and those who come to them... Don't wait any longer to join them!
A personalized spiritual retreat at Saint-Louis-du-Temple Abbey
The sisters are delighted to welcome guests in new, completely renovated buildings. The guest house at Limon Abbey is fully integrated into the monastery, allowing you to truly experience the grace of the place. Being housed within the abbey itself, guests can truly appreciate the respect for silence.
Available to guests, in beautiful, newly renovated spaces:
- 25 rooms, single or double, all equipped with a complete bathroom;
- Library and meeting rooms;
- Oratory,
- The abbey church, open for liturgical offices and personal prayer (open from 6:30 a.m. to 9:35 p.m.);
- Two dining rooms, one reserved for those wishing to take their meals in silence.
Geography and activities
Limon Abbey and the town of Vauhallan
In the department of Essonne (91), the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Louis-du-Temple is located in the town of Vauhallan. It is therefore at the gates of Paris and offers, thanks to this location and its environment, a truly privileged natural setting.
Only 25 kilometers from Paris, very close to Versailles and the Saclay plateau, come for a spiritual retreat and enjoy at Limon Abbey the nearby hiking trails, a place and time favorable to a simple and calm life, focused on what is essential.
Limon Abbey is also a possible stop on one of the routes to Santiago de Compostela (the via Turonensis)!
Practical information
Discover more locations
