Monastery stay in London and/or Paris
Jan 7th, 2011, 11:22 PM
#2
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 17,268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As far as London's concerned, the answer is really "not for the past 500 years"
London's monasteries were abolished, and their propert seized, in the 1530s. The term "monastery" has simply not been used to describe religious communities in Britain since then: it's restricted to describing communities abroad, or pre-1530 English institutions.
There's a tiny group of convents and retreat centres in the London area that offer some temporary accommodation, though often way out of town or with severe restrictions. Those under the jurisdiction of the Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster are at http://www.rcdow.org.uk/catholic_faq...ntent_ref=929: those controlled by the Anglican Diocese of London at http://www.london.anglican.org/ReligiousCommunities.
If your interest in staying in a convent or abbey is to do with cost-saving, you're likely to be a great deal better off in London using Priceline for hotels or renting a flat. If the interest is religious-based, http://www.eden.co.uk/directory/chri...dation_94.html has a few leads - but scarcely any in London, unless you're attending a fully-fledged retreat. By and large, the few British religious communities with spare accommodation use it to shelter the otherwise homeless.
London's monasteries were abolished, and their propert seized, in the 1530s. The term "monastery" has simply not been used to describe religious communities in Britain since then: it's restricted to describing communities abroad, or pre-1530 English institutions.
There's a tiny group of convents and retreat centres in the London area that offer some temporary accommodation, though often way out of town or with severe restrictions. Those under the jurisdiction of the Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster are at http://www.rcdow.org.uk/catholic_faq...ntent_ref=929: those controlled by the Anglican Diocese of London at http://www.london.anglican.org/ReligiousCommunities.
If your interest in staying in a convent or abbey is to do with cost-saving, you're likely to be a great deal better off in London using Priceline for hotels or renting a flat. If the interest is religious-based, http://www.eden.co.uk/directory/chri...dation_94.html has a few leads - but scarcely any in London, unless you're attending a fully-fledged retreat. By and large, the few British religious communities with spare accommodation use it to shelter the otherwise homeless.
Jan 8th, 2011, 10:48 AM
#3
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 124
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I've never stayed in one, but here are two books to look at, the Guide to Lodging in France's Monasteries is excellent,
http://www.amazon.ca/Guide-Lodging-F...5985912&sr=8-1
And, Europe's Monastery and Convent Guesthouses,
http://www.amazon.ca/Europes-Monaste...d=WBRM4410M16C
There seems to be only one convent guesthouse in Paris,
Prieure Saint Benoit in Montmartre,
http://www.rendezvousfrance.com/hotelsaint.html
...'Maybe it is not a hotel you are looking for, but a place to be silent and alone.
Try a monastery. Paris has many which will accept visitors who don't come to pray but just to stay in a cheap but beautiful place. The Prieuré Saint-Benoit scholastique, overlooking the city from its Montmartre perch, is one of these islands of peace. Couples and even children are welcome. The young nuns can take care of the baby sitting if need be!
Meals are taken in the big refectory with all the nuns....'
You might also like this, a Zen retreat with studios in the 12th, near la Bastille,
http://maisonzen.com/
http://www.amazon.ca/Guide-Lodging-F...5985912&sr=8-1
And, Europe's Monastery and Convent Guesthouses,
http://www.amazon.ca/Europes-Monaste...d=WBRM4410M16C
There seems to be only one convent guesthouse in Paris,
Prieure Saint Benoit in Montmartre,
http://www.rendezvousfrance.com/hotelsaint.html
...'Maybe it is not a hotel you are looking for, but a place to be silent and alone.
Try a monastery. Paris has many which will accept visitors who don't come to pray but just to stay in a cheap but beautiful place. The Prieuré Saint-Benoit scholastique, overlooking the city from its Montmartre perch, is one of these islands of peace. Couples and even children are welcome. The young nuns can take care of the baby sitting if need be!
Meals are taken in the big refectory with all the nuns....'
You might also like this, a Zen retreat with studios in the 12th, near la Bastille,
http://maisonzen.com/
Jan 8th, 2011, 11:26 AM
#4
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 34,858
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
never heard of such a thing in Paris (or France anywhere), except in the case of brothers who are actually running foyers for French students. Not for tourists.
Why do you even want to do this in the first place, I don't get it. If you think you are going to save tons of money over secular hotels, I think you should just look for a cheap hotel. That became popular in Italy because the Italian govt supported it financially, it was to the convents advantage to do that in some way (they got subsidies or tax benefits or something). I think it started when there was a shortage of tourist rooms for some famous event in Rome and it lives on.
Why do you even want to do this in the first place, I don't get it. If you think you are going to save tons of money over secular hotels, I think you should just look for a cheap hotel. That became popular in Italy because the Italian govt supported it financially, it was to the convents advantage to do that in some way (they got subsidies or tax benefits or something). I think it started when there was a shortage of tourist rooms for some famous event in Rome and it lives on.
Jan 8th, 2011, 11:42 AM
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
@ Christina -- Well, we have a history buff in the family and as a parent we are looking at all the options that we can think of. It is not a money issue as much as it is the experiences of life.
Jan 8th, 2011, 03:04 PM
#6
Not a convent -- but there is a hotel in a hospital on the Ile de la Cité. This is an interesting place to stay in an amazing location http://www.hotel-hospitel.com/ang/accueil.htm
Even if there was a monastery or convent (which I've never heard of in either city) I can't imagine staying in one w/ a family/kids.
Even if there was a monastery or convent (which I've never heard of in either city) I can't imagine staying in one w/ a family/kids.
