Chartreuse de Prémol, Carthusian monastery ruins in Vaulnaveys-le-Haut, France.
Chartreuse de Premol is a Carthusian monastery built at 1095 meters altitude, with two structures still standing today: a forest house and the ruins of the entrance building. The site reveals the layout of structures that once organized the nuns' lives and daily routines.
Founded in 1234 by Beatrix of Montferrat, wife of Dauphin Guigues Andre, the site housed around 30 nuns until the French Revolution forced its closure. Its long history is visible in the structures that remain on the mountainside today.
The name comes from the Latin 'Pratis Mollis', meaning soft meadow, which refers to the landscape around this mountain site. The nuns who lived here followed strict rules and shaped the land through their work and self-sufficient way of life.
The site remains open to visitors year-round with free entry, making it easy to explore at your own pace. Winter weather and mountain conditions may limit access to certain areas, so checking local conditions beforehand is helpful.
The monastery managed an extensive network of mills, sawmills, iron mines, forges, and farms spread across roughly 400 hectares of mountain land. This self-sufficient system reveals that the Carthusians were not only a spiritual community but also skilled managers of complex operations.
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