Carmel de Lisieux, Carmelite convent in Lisieux, France.

The Carmel de Lisieux stands at 37 rue du Carmel, behind a black iron fence on stone posts. Its pale stone facade is symmetrical: a triangular pediment crowned by a cross, a tall arched window with dark glass and circular panes flanked by two pairs of flat columns, and a central double wooden door in an arched opening. The chapel was completed in 1848.

Founded in 1838 by Father Pierre Sauvage with sisters Athalie and Désirée Gosselin, the convent's first chapel was completed in 1848. Thérèse Martin entered in 1888 at age 15 and died there in 1897; her writings, published as Histoire d'une âme in 1898, led to her beatification in 1923 and canonization in 1925. During the 1944 Normandy fighting the community took refuge for 80 days in the basilica crypt, returning on 27 August to find the Carmel intact.

Four daughters of Zélie and Louis Martin joined this community: Pauline in 1882, Marie in 1886, Thérèse in 1888 and Céline in 1894. Thérèse's writings, published here in 1898 as Histoire d'une âme, brought a stream of letters, about 50 a day in 1911 and 500 a day in 1915. The white sign on the fence post reads "CARMEL DE LISIEUX 37 RUE DU CARMEL".

Guests can join the community for daily prayer services and attend Mass throughout the year, with group tours showing the main areas of the grounds. Plan to spend a few hours here to appreciate both the chapel and gardens without rushing through the experience.

Thérèse Martin entered in 1888 at fifteen and died here in 1897; her writings, published as Histoire d'une âme from 1898, began with a print run of 2,000 copies. By 1915 the convent was receiving around 500 letters a day from readers. The community left for 80 days in June 1944 during the Battle of Normandy and returned on 27 August to find the monastery intact.