In Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, the monument welcomes visitors but also writers in residence.
In the center of Villeneuve, at the end of rue de la République, is the Chartreuse du Val-de-Bénédiction. Originally, this building was a cardinal’s palace built in the 14th century by Cardinal Étienne Aubert, who would later be elected Pope under the name of Innocent VI.
“It was in 1352 that he transformed his residence into a papal palace and, in 1356, built a Charterhouse adjoining the palace”says Audrey Pujol, Heritage and Tourism Manager at the Chartreuse.
Over the centuries the monastery will grow to become the richest in France. Nearly one hundred people, including 24 Carthusian fathers and 30 brothers, in addition to servants, live in the Chartreuse.
As with all monasteries, the French Revolution marked the end of the Carthusians’ golden age. Sold in 1794, the writer Prosper Mérimée, inspector of historic monuments, implemented safeguard procedures to save the church and the frescoes. In 1909, the State undertook the rehabilitation of the Charterhouse.
A national center
From now on, the site has a heritage and artistic vocation. Restored, the Charterhouse is open to visits but it has also been, for more than forty years, a place of meeting and work: “within the monument itself was created the National Center for Performing Arts (Cnes) which is a place dedicated to dramaturgical writing”explains Audrey Pujol.
Open regularly to the public, it allows to attend rehearsals or events. “We organize summer meetings, which are exhibitions, shows, cycles of meetings, readings. Until September 18 it is possible to discover the CI-JE GIS exhibition! It is an installation where living take the place of the dead.
A true place of culture, the Chartreuse is recognized as one of the greatest places of residence for playwrights in France and in Europe.
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