Mesnil Saint-Loup Monastery
Mesnil-Saint-Loup Aube Founded in 1864
In the Aube department, in the village of Mesnil Saint-Loup in Champagne, the Notre-Dame-de-la-Sainte-Espérance Monastery is home to a community of Olivetan Benedictine monks who live according to the Rule of Saint Benedict. Founded in 1864 by Father Emmanuel, who later led the restoration of Bec-Hellouin Abbey in 1948, the community today numbers five brothers. From Matins (5:30 a.m.) to Compline, the praise of God is at the heart of their life; they celebrate the office in the monastery chapel, open to all, and work with their hands in a ceramics workshop and a limoncello and jelly workshop.
Hospitality holds an important place in the monks' daily life, both in the parlor for spiritual guidance and in the guest house. At the heart of a quiet, agricultural village 25 km from Troyes, they welcome anyone seeking a restorative spiritual retreat.
What awaits you
Practical information
Meals
Meals are not provided by the community, except for gentlemen who are received in the monastic refectory. Guests may cook on site. Groups may arrange catering.
Accommodation
The guest house is a former farmhouse in the village, a 2-minute walk from the monastery. It has 15 beds spread across 10 rooms (1 three-bed room, 4 double rooms, 5 single rooms), an oratory with the Blessed Sacrament, and a large enclosed garden.
Groups and conferences
A converted barn can accommodate around fifty people for conferences and sessions. A Brother can speak at a group's request to give a talk or share a teaching.
Manual work
Depending on skills and needs, guests may help in the garden or around the buildings during their stay.
Length of stay
The duration is to be determined with the guest master. Retreats may be individual, family, or group stays.
Getting here
The most convenient SNCF train station is Troyes (25 km away). The Sens line is also accessible. The village has around 600 inhabitants, set in a peaceful, agricultural landscape.
Getting there
SNCF train station in Troyes or Sens
Head toward l'Aube and Mesnil Saint-Loup
A peaceful route through fields and forests