Abbaye Val Notre-Dame, Trappist monastery in Saint-Jean-de-Matha, Canada.
Val Notre-Dame Abbey sits at the foot of Montagne-Coupée with buildings of wood and slate designed to blend into the forest setting. The grounds include a chapel, residences, workshops, and storage areas where the community carries out daily tasks and maintains local production.
In 2009 a group of Cistercian monks from Oka Abbey moved here to establish a new community and continue their monastic life. This relocation allowed them to maintain their long-standing traditions in a new location.
The community here maintains a rhythm of work and prayer throughout each day, and visitors can attend services in the chapel to hear the monks' singing. The daily routine reflects monastic values that shape how the space is experienced by those who enter.
The monastery store is open from 9 AM to 5 PM on weekdays and 10 AM to 5 PM on Sundays, selling locally made products and provisions. Wear comfortable walking shoes since the grounds include forest paths and uneven terrain.
The property covers 187 hectares of forest where visitors can join guided walks to explore the natural surroundings and learn about local mushroom cultivation. These walks offer a chance to see how the monks work with the land and its resources.
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