Chartreuse du Val de Bénédiction, Villeneuve-lès-Avignon
The Val de Bénédiction Charterhouse was founded in 1356 by Pope Innocent VI (d. 1362), who is buried in the abbey church. With its 40 cells and three cloisters, it was once the most important Carthusian monastery in France and it is still the largest.
Today, the charterhouse provides shelter to aspiring playwrights and artists rent-free for up to a year. Art exhibitions are presented throughout the year.
The largest cloister at the Val de Bénédiction Charterhouse, Cloître Saint Jean, give you a good idea of the architecture and layout of the charterhouse.
In the 14th century church, the delicately carved mausoleum of Pope Innocent VI is an extraordinary example of Gothic artisanship. It was removed in the Revolution and only returned in 1963. A chapel contains the 1453 masterpiece Coronation of the Virgin by Enguerrand Charonton; its depiction of hell is Bosch-like in its horror.
Quick Facts
| Address | 60 rue de la République, Villeneuve-lès-Avignon (across the Rhône from Avignon) |
| Phone: | 04 90 15 24 24 |
| Hours: | 9:30am-5:30pm Oct-March; 9am-6:30 pm April-Sept |
| Cost: | 5.50€ adults, 3.50€ students, free for ages 17 and under |
