ShannonMarie

I recently heard that visitors can stay in lowly priced rooms at monestaries across the world. Would anyone know of any Paris, or how their experience was staying in one.

cigalechanta

Ther's a guide called Le guide Saint-Christophe that you might find if you google for across France.
For ParisCentre d'Information et de documentation religieuse
8 rue Massillon 75004
tel 01 46 33 01 01 [email protected]
hopefully this old info still is there.
Couvent des Carnes 1 rue de Pere Jacques in the 15th, a 17th century convent next to Fontainbleu gardens.
Ephrem, in the heart of Pigalle 18th.
Monast're dela Visitation at 68 ave Denfert-Rochereau in the 14th (only women)
Notre-Dame du Cénacle 58 ave de breteuil in the 7th.
In Montmartre, Prieuré St-Benoit 40 rue du Chevalier de la barre, the 18th
Abby Ste-Marie 3 rue de la souce in the 16th(only men)
This list I had in the late 90s for a relative looking for a place. They ended up choosing thew hospital by Notre Dame and were content there.

crepes_a_go_go

I wish someone who has actually stayed in convents and monasteries in France would post their experiences. As a woman traveling alone, I've often thought about doing this, but I'd like to hear what others experienced.

Oh, I had no idea there was anywhere in Paris offering this type lodging except for one offering stays for religious retreats.

Betsy

Tagging for future reference

ShannonMarie

Anyone else?

Christina

I attended l'Institut Catholique in Paris (a Catholic university) one summer, and knew some of the summer male students who stayed in some monasteries in Paris, as well as the brothers themselves who may have traveled to Paris to study for a while -- but I never heard of one that rented out rooms to tourists. Or convents, for that matter (and I stayed in a residence run by one). I also have never heard of it except for religious retreats or students affiliated with the church in some way and could get recommendations or arrangements. They might do it for some French interns, also -- I knew some who had their daughters staying there while they were in Paris to study for the Bac that summer, for example.

The first place that is listed on cigalechanta's list is not in Paris, it is in Fontainebleau. It's not the 15th arr. of Paris (there is no street by that name in Paris, nor garden, and the Parisian Carmelite convent isn't in the 15th, it is in the 16th arr.). Anyway, I know it is Fontainebleau, where the famous chateau is. They have a retreat center at Avon near Fontainebleau forest, but I would be very surprised if they rented rooms to tourists. They do have a website that says individuals can go there for religious retreat, but don't say anything about tourists or people for nonreligious reasons.

If the main interest for this is just to get a cheap room, I think it would be easier just to look for a decent cheap hotel.

Alec

In my 35 years of travelling in France, I have never come across a religious accommodation being made available to tourists. There are guest accommodation at religious houses, but they are either for those connected with their order or coming for a retreat or rest and reflection. Certainly none of the commercial operation you find in Italy or Spain. I'd be very surprised if it exists in France, let alone in Paris. Perhaps with a plentiful supply of budget accommodation in France, there is no need for it. Also religious communities there tend to be in modern compact buildings and don't usually have the spare capacity to be turned into tourist accommodation.

cigalechanta

well tell Father Maurice Trousland.
In the last few years, throughout France, over 700 convents, momasteries and abbbeys have started opening their doors to individuals and families, who may stay a day or for several weeks.
Father Trousland was and maybe still is, the director of the Association Saint-Christophe, a non profit organization which publishes a guide listing these religious institutions. At the time of the guide that year rooms with meals hovered around $30. The list I gave was from him.

WillTravel

There's the Ephrem Guesthouse at Sacre Coeur:
http://www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com/us/contact.html
http://www.internationalliving.com/f...your-head.html

Alec

Guide Saint-Christophe indeeds list 500 addresses of religious accommodation, but most are outside France and those within France only a few provide tourist accommodation; most are for those seeking retreat, spiritual rest and reflection or experiencing religious life. They are very different from commercial operations you find in Italy and Spain, which was the point I was making.

Alec

Also Ephream Guesthouse mentionaed above is for private retreatants. While they don't compel you to attend Mass or other services, your main purpose is for spiritual reflection, not a cheaper alternative to tourist accommodation.

cigalechanta

Here's a guide I found on line
http://boutique.bayardweb.com/articl...p?docId=768960

cigalechanta

Here's the 2006 guide

http://www.mp-services.fr/boutique/f...;code_lg=lg_fr

lincasanova

i stayed, as a student tourist, at a convent with cooking facilities many many years ago.

we had very strict hours at night, but the accomodations were sufficient.

can't tell you the name right now.
will try to think of it and look up the info.

i had gotten the name at the student bureau when i arrived in town.

ShannonMarie

Thanks for the wonderful reviews and links! I'll be sure to visit every one of them!

elba

ttt

Christina

actually, we had a strict curfew when I stayed at that student residence run by nuns, also. I was older so it didn't bother me that much as I didn't want to be out on the town, but in a couple cases it was a problem. I think it was midnight, and maybe even 11 during the week.

That Guide St-Christophe is specifically titled a guide for those looking for spiritual retreats, so I guess that explains why they would list the Retreat Center at Avon. Maybe I ought to do one of those, that's kind of an interesting guidebook.

They don't want tourist money so much in France, that doesn't motivate them to rent out rooms. They get some tax advantage or state funds for doing that in Italy, I forget what it is, but it is really an advantage and that's why they started doing it so much after that law was passed around 2000. I don't think they did it much before that. At least in Paris, all of the places that have rooms like that use them for their own Catholic students, and then French interns and special situations their parish may arrange, as I said (someone's child visiting Paris), and a lot of them use them to house brothers, priests and nuns who come to Paris to study French during the summer from their own country. I met several like that (some Irish nuns, for example), and that seemed like a pretty good religious gig to me -- but they explained that if their order was started by a French person or was headquartered in France, studying French was one of the things they were paid to do for summer study.

ShannonMarie

Oh yes, and how about guesthouses and pensions. Would anyone know of any Paris, or how their experience was staying in one.

ShannonMarie

?

cigalechanta

shannon, they are all not retreats but may have strict hours.
Here is B&B's in Paris that may be of help for you,

http://en.parisinfo.com/paris_hotels...tion=listeSITI