Carmel d'Ars-sur-Formans

The Carmel of Ars-sur-Formans is a monastery of Discalced Carmelite nuns in the small village of Ars-sur-Formans, in the Ain department, a short drive from Lyon. The village has been closely tied since the mid-19th century to Saint Jean-Marie Vianney, the famous "Curé d'Ars," and the Carmel exists precisely to keep that legacy alive through prayer for priests.

When was the monastery founded?

The Carmelite community in Ars was established and blessed on 8 December 1939. The foundation was initiated by Mother Marie-Louise of the Immaculate Conception, a nun who came from the Carmel of Reims. The new house was placed under the joint patronage of the Holy Curé of Ars and Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, the Carmelite of Lisieux, a dual dedication that shaped the community's identity from the very start. The Foundress Mother died on 29 October 1942, and building work on the monastery continued for more than twenty years after her death.

The timing of the foundation was deliberate: it followed shortly after Jean-Marie Vianney was proclaimed patron of all priests. Vianney himself was ordained in 1815, sent to serve as parish priest in Ars in 1818, and canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1925.

What is the community's mission?

The house is formally known as the Carmel of the Holy Curé of Ars and Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus. Its particular vocation is uninterrupted prayer for the priesthood - for the holiness of priests, for vocations, and for the salvation of souls. This focus reflects the character of Ars itself as a place shaped by devotion to the priesthood through Vianney's life and ministry.

Where exactly is it, and how does the community support itself?

The monastery stands at 128 rue du Carmel in Ars-sur-Formans. The sisters run a workshop producing communion wafers (hosties) on site, which serves as the community's main means of support - in keeping with the Carmelite tradition of combining contemplative prayer with manual work.

Is the Carmel connected to other religious communities in the village?

Small as it is, Ars-sur-Formans hosts several religious communities linked to the legacy of its holy parish priest. Alongside the Carmelite nuns, the Benedictine Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre are present, as are priests of the Society of Saint Jean-Marie Vianney, who run an international seminary. The Carmel is therefore one part of a wider sanctuary complex in Ars, alongside the parish church holding the saint's relics and a museum dedicated to his life.

Frequently asked questions

When was the Carmel of Ars-sur-Formans founded? It was founded and blessed on 8 December 1939 by Carmelite nuns who came from the Carmel of Reims, on the initiative of Mother Marie-Louise of the Immaculate Conception.

What is the monastery's connection to Saint Jean-Marie Vianney? The Carmel bears his name as co-patron and was founded to pray for the priesthood - the mission associated with Vianney himself, canonized in 1925 and recognized as patron of all priests.

What do the sisters do day to day? Beyond their contemplative life and prayer for priests, the community runs a workshop producing communion wafers, which forms the basis of its livelihood.

Can visitors tour the monastery? The Carmel is above all a living, cloistered religious community rather than a tourist attraction in the conventional sense; visitors typically head instead to the sanctuary and parish church in the centre of Ars.

Where exactly is Ars-sur-Formans located? The village lies in the Ain department, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, not far from Lyon.