Chartreuse d'Oujon

Chartreuse d'Oujon is a Carthusian monastery in ruins, situated in a forest clearing high in the Jura Mountains at around 1000 meters (3,300 feet). The site reveals stone foundations, walls, and the ground plan of buildings where the monks lived and worked in isolation.

The monastery was founded in 1146 as the first Carthusian establishment in Switzerland. After a fire in 1537, the Bernese authorities refused permission to rebuild, which led to its permanent closure.

The ruins reveal how medieval Carthusian monks organized their living spaces, with separate cells and communal areas arranged for their silent, solitary life. Walking through the clearing, you can sense how they separated themselves from the world in this remote mountain location.

The site is accessible but the path runs through forest, so sturdy shoes are recommended, especially when the ground is wet. If you want to learn more about the excavated items, the Historical Museum of Nyon displays findings from the dig.

Excavations that began in 1945 have uncovered a complete monastery layout, allowing scholars to study how Carthusian communities actually lived. A major land grant from local nobility enabled this to become Switzerland's first such monastic community.