Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Chartreuse of Sainte-Croix-en-Jarez was founded in 1281 by Béatrix de la Tour du Pin, widow of Guillaume de Roussillon, in memory of her husband who disappeared in the Holy Land. This cartreux monastery, 62nd of the order, settles in a strategic region between Forez, Dauphiné and Lyonnais, on lands belonging to the Roussillon family. Beatrix, influential and pious, has the exceptional right to reside and be buried there, marking a rare departure from the Cartusian rule.

The site, chosen for its isolation in the Massif du Pilat, became a monacal place of life for nearly 500 years. The community, composed of up to thirty monks, lives according to the Cartusian rule, combining prayer and work. The buildings are organized into three distinct zones: the courtyard of the brothers (material life), the cenobitic zone (church, refectory) and the courtyard of the fathers (hermitages). The Gothic church, built in the 14th century, houses medieval murals rediscovered in 1896.

The French Revolution ended monastic life in 1792: the last five monks were expelled, and goods sold as national goods. The monastery is then loti and transformed into a village, a unique feature in the world. The buildings became houses, a town hall (1888) and a school (1839). Today, about 50 people live in the old Chartreuse, while the site, classified and restored, attracts visitors for its history and preserved architecture.

The architecture of the chartreuse reflects its evolution over five centuries. The fortified facade (15th-17th centuries), pierced by murderous cruciferous globe (Charterous symbol), leads to the heart of the brothers, the heart of material life. The small 17th century cloister, restored in 2007, serves the church with medieval frescoes and the baroque refectory. The court of fathers, once girded by a large cloister, preserves cells from the 16th-17th centuries and a bas-relief representing a monk meditating on death.

Among the notable figures, Béatrix de la Tour du Pin (1226–1306) embodies the visionary founder, while Thibaud de Vassalieu, a Lyon diplomat, found refuge there in the 14th century. Dom Polycarp de la Rivière, prior in the seventeenth century, wrote spiritual works there before directing other Chartreuses. The church's murals, commissioned in honor of Thibaud, bear witness to his influence.

In 1888, the site became a village with less than 500 inhabitants, labeled among the most beautiful villages in France. Managed by the tourist office of Saint-Étienne Métropole, it offers guided tours, cultural events and hikes in the Pilat Natural Park. Its unusual history, from monastery to village, makes it a living and unique heritage.

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