Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Chartreuse du Liget is a former monastery of the Order of the Chartreux, founded in the late twelfth century by Henry II Plantagenet, King of England and Count of Anjou. Located in Chemillé-sur-Indrois in Indre-et-Loire, it is the only Chartreuse de Touraine and traditionally consists of a high house (place of prayer) and a low house (coroirie, dedicated to agricultural activities). Its history is marked by phases of expansion, especially in the Middle Ages, where it controls more than 2,500 hectares of land, despite the ravages of the Hundred Years' War and the Wars of Religion.

In the 18th century, an ambitious reconstruction project was launched in 1787 under the direction of architect Jean-Bernard-Abraham Jacquemin, but was interrupted by the French Revolution. In 1790-1791, the remaining eleven monks were expelled, and the property of the monastery (furniture, library of 6,900 works of art) was dispersed or destroyed. The buildings are sold as national goods and partially demolished, leaving only ruins like the medieval church and elements of the large cloister.

In the 19th century, Marsay's family bought and gradually restored the estate, restoring part of the land and buildings. The Chartreuse is partially classified or listed as a historic monument between 1862 and 2015, thus preserving its architectural heritage. Today, the upper house and Corroirie are still inhabited by the descendants of the family of Marsay, while the chapel Saint John, isolated in the forest, preserves 12th century Romanesque frescoes.

The Chartreuse du Liget is distinguished by its unique spatial organization, with a chapel isolated in a clearing, and by its historical role as a fief holding seigneurial rights until the Revolution. Its architecture, though fragmentary, reflects the successive phases of construction, from medieval origins to 17th and 18th century developments.

Among the outstanding remaining elements are the ruins of the Gothic church, the large unfinished cloister, and Corroirie, whose fortified gate and medieval chapel are still visible. The site also houses works of art scattered after the Revolution, including two paintings potentially attributed to Caravage, rediscovered in Loches in the 21st century.

Historical and archaeological studies conducted since the 19th century, notably by Albert Philippon and Christophe Meunier, have enabled the reconstruction of the history of this monastery, stressing its importance in the religious and political landscape of the Touraine, from its foundation by Henry II to its contemporary heritage protection.

External links