Origins

The monastery is in the midst of the Cévennes (Protestant) region, a place marked by wars of religion and divisions among Christians. The “Peace of God”, a small, discreet, isolated monastery, founded in 1970, wanted to be a humble sign of evangelical life, of prayer at the heart of the church, in the hope of the unity of Christians. The project was long studied by the abbess of Gardes and the father immediate, abbot of Bellefontaine. The general chapter of 1969 approved the foundation. The place chosen is 15 km from Alès, in the diocese of Nîmes. On 6 April 1970, 8 religious coming from N.D. des Gardes took possession of an old farm, at the place called Cabanoule, and began monastic life. “To give your flesh, here, to the prayer of Jesus for Unity” (Mgr Cadilhac, bishop of Nîmes, 24 March 1979.)