Tournay Abbey
At the foot of the Pyrenees, anyone seeking rest and greenery will be warmly welcomed by the community of Benedictine monks of the sublime Tournay Abbey.
Cross the Arros river for a rejuvenating and delicious stay, thanks to the idyllic setting of Tournay and the famous fruit jellies made by the monks!
Retreats organized by the community
Tournay Abbey, a monastery in the Hautes-Pyrénées
The origins of the monastery date back to the 5th century. Attached to the Abbey of Saint-Victor in Marseille in 1087, the monastery was later affiliated with the Congregation of Saint-Maur in 1648. Abandoned during the Revolution, the abbey was refounded by the monks of En-Calcat in Madiran in 1934. The monastery was finally transferred to Tournay in 1954, alongside the Arros river, about thirty kilometers from Lourdes.
To reach the monastery, visitors cross the Arros river via a wooden bridge, creating a break from the world. This image evokes the vocation of Tournay Abbey, which seeks to be a place of communion and desert, a place of solidarity and solitude.
The schedule of divine offices at Tournay Abbey
Five times a day, the monks gather together in the abbey church to pray the different offices of the day:
- morning prayer (Lauds);
- the Eucharist (Mass);
- midday prayer;
- evening prayer (Vespers);
- the Office of Readings (Vigils).
During the day, the monks' personal prayer naturally holds a place of primary importance.
They also benefit from long periods of reading Scripture (called lectio divina), a savored, meditated reading of the Word of God drawn primarily from the Bible, but also through Christian spiritual authors, who have not been lacking over the past two thousand years.
The Benedictine monks of Tournay Abbey
The community brings together 22 Benedictine monks of the Order of Saint Benedict. Several of them come from foreign countries such as Vietnam, Brazil and Madagascar.
The community gathers several times each week in the chapter house to, on one hand, listen to the teaching of the Father Abbot, the superior, and on the other hand, for fraternal exchanges, which can lead to votes to make community decisions.
The rest of the day, the brothers work at the various services necessary for the concrete life of the monastery (kitchen, housekeeping, accounting, religious bookstore, novice formation, infirmary).
The Tournay Abbey pavé and its other fruit jellies
The monks also work in the confectionery workshop where the famous coated fruit jelly and the abbey's chocolates are made. These products are sold in the shop, along with others from various monasteries. Their must-have: the Tournay pavé, dark chocolate with orange zest.
What to expect during your stay
Making a spiritual retreat at Tournay Abbey
The monks welcome, to the extent of their possibilities, all those who present themselves at the monastery door "as if they were Christ himself."
Guests can stay for one or several days, up to a week, for an individual retreat. Groups can also be received at the abbey. All are invited to participate in the different times of common prayer and can request a meeting with a brother.
The monastery also organizes each year sessions, recollections, introductions to Bible reading at different levels, as well as gatherings of oblates (monastic third order attached to a community).
Staying at Tournay's guest house during a spiritual retreat
The guest house can accommodate an average of 23 people. The building is located within the abbey itself, which makes it easier for retreatants to access the community's activities and allows them to experience an even more integrated experience with the monks' life.
The rooms are individual, with toilets and showers in the hallway. The guest house has a dining room for groups and another for smaller groups, a conference room, and a library.
Please note: there are currently no rooms on the ground floor and access to the first floor is by stairs, with no elevator.
Geography and activities
Discover the Arros valley in the Hautes-Pyrénées
In the department of Hautes-Pyrénées (65), Notre-Dame de Tournay Abbey is located 20 kilometers east of Tarbes.
Tournay Abbey borders the peaceful Arros river, giving retreatants the opportunity to discover the harmonious Arros valley.
Near Tournay: Escaladieu Abbey, Tarbes, Lourdes…
You will find the following activities of interest in the immediate vicinity of Tournay Monastery:
- Escaladieu Abbey (10km), a famous stop for all pilgrims on the way to Compostela, classified as a historical monument;
- The thermal spa of Capvern (13km);
- Bagnères-de-Bigorre (15km), a thermal spa with its golf course and museum (important collection of works by Blanche Odin);
- The village of St-Sever de Rustan and its centuries-old abbey, classified as a historical monument (20km);
- At 20 kilometers, Tarbes, prefecture of the Hautes-Pyrénées department, with its breathtaking view of the Pyrenees, birthplace of Marshal Foch;
- At 30 kilometers, the village of Lourdes, the most famous Marian sanctuary in France;
- One hour away by car, the spectacular observatory of Pic du Midi.
Practical information
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