La Clarté-Dieu Spiritual Center
Orsay Essonne Founded in 1953
Unique in France for the combined presence of Franciscan brothers, sisters, and lay people, the La Clarté-Dieu spiritual center is located in Orsay, in the Essonne (91), thirty minutes southwest of Paris. Founded after World War II by the Franciscan Brothers of Île-de-France and listed as a Historic Monument, it carries on, in the spirit of Saint Francis of Assisi, a vocation of transmission, reflection, and openness to the universal, marked by poverty and attentiveness to nature. Two communities live there: three brothers and four sisters.
Nestled in a wooded park of more than four hectares, between urban and rural surroundings at the gateway to the Chevreuse valley, La Clarté-Dieu welcomes several thousand people each year, Christian or not, for a few days of retreat and rest. Visitors come to exchange, experience a digital detox, contemplate, and find renewal, in an atmosphere of rest, kindness, and inwardness.
What awaits you
Practical information
Meals
Meals are taken at the community table in the center's refectory. Guests may choose to have breakfast only, or opt for half board or full board. The town center of Orsay, nearby, offers all amenities as well as a market.
Accessibility
The center has 3 rooms accessible to people with reduced mobility, located on the ground floor. An elevator and accessible parking are also available.
Setting and nature
Located in Orsay (Essonne), 20 km from Paris, the center benefits from a 4-hectare park with a pond. The Yvette river and the Bois de la Grille Noire are accessible on foot or by bike. The arboretum of the Université Paris-Saclay is also nearby.
Manual work
Retreatants who wish to do so may participate in the life of the center: gardening or manual work is offered, with no obligation.
Library and bookstore
The center has a reading room with a well-stocked library, as well as a bookstore offering works on Franciscan spirituality and contemporary issues.
Preached retreats
The center offers preached retreats twice a year, generally during Advent and Holy Week. It is also possible to stay alone, as a couple, as a family, or in a group of up to 150 people.
Getting there
From Paris, RER B to Orsay-Ville or TGV to Massy-Palaiseau
Via the A10, take exit Orsay (no. 10), only 19 km from Paris
Along the banks of the Yvette and through the woods of la Chevreuse!