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Origin and history

The Chartreuse Notre-Dame du Val Saint-Jean-de-Basseville, located in Pousseaux in the valley of the Yonne, was founded in 1328 by Jean Le Grand, canon of Furnes and chaplain of the Count of Nevers. He acquired the seigneury of Basseville in 1316 before giving it to the Chartreux, with rights of justice and seigneury. The church, the first building built between 1328 and 1332, was consecrated in 1331 to the Virgin and Saint John the Baptist. The monastery, bordered by the Nivernais Canal, experienced looting during the Revolution, where its 11 monks and 12 day labourers were expelled in 1789.

In the 16th century, the Chartreuse underwent important architectural changes, including the entrance gate flanked by turrets and the refectory of monks. However, in 1568 or 1569, Protestants occupied the site for a year, leaving it devastated. Despite the work of enlargement in the 18th century, the establishment, never very extensive (up to ten cells), was sold as a national property in 1790 and converted into a farm. The current remains include the church, convent buildings, cellars and courtyards, protected by a decree of 2022.

The Chartreuse, which was listed as a historical monument in 1927 and in total in 2022, preserves medieval and Renaissance elements. His cemetery, mentioned in records kept in the departmental archives of the Nièvre, bears witness to his religious and funeral role. The site, isolated in a rocky valley, reflects both the austerity of Cartus life and the political and religious upheavals that marked its history, from the Hundred Years War to the French Revolution.

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