Monastère orthodoxe Saint Antoine le Grand

The Monastery of Saint Anthony the Great in Saint-Laurent-en-Royans is a male Orthodox monastic community tucked into the limestone cliffs of the Vercors massif, a few kilometers from the village of Saint-Laurent-en-Royans in the Drôme department of southeastern France. The community falls under the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of France, part of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, and remains a dependency — a metochion — of the monastery of Simonopetra on Mount Athos in Greece.

Who founded the monastery, and when?

The monastery was established in 1978 by Archimandrite Placide Deseille, a French theologian who had earlier taken monastic vows on Mount Athos, together with his companion in ascetic life, Father Seraphim. The foundation received the blessing of Metropolitan Meletios Karabinis, then head of the Metropolis of Gaul, and of Archimandrite Aimilianos Vafidis, at the time abbot of Simonopetra. That Athonite lineage still shapes the monastery's liturgical and spiritual character today.

What does the church look like inside?

At the center of monastic life stands the church of Saint Silouan, built and decorated in Byzantine style — the same visual tradition that has guided Orthodox church art since the sixth century. Roughly 600 square meters of wall paintings cover its interior, created by the contemporary Russian iconographer Yaroslav Dobrynine together with his wife Galina. The frescoes follow the traditional hieratic style of Orthodox iconography, portraying biblical scenes and the figures of saints in the same stylized manner found in churches across the Orthodox world.

Can visitors tour the monastery?

Yes. The monastery opens to visitors during set seasonal hours — typically Wednesday and Saturday afternoons from mid-May to mid-July, extending to Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday afternoons during the peak summer period from mid-July to the end of August. A visit lasts roughly 20 to 40 minutes and includes entry to the church, where guests can view the frescoes up close. Because opening times follow the rhythm of the community's liturgical calendar, it is worth checking the current schedule before arriving.

Is there a shop on site?

The monks run a small shop offering literature on Orthodox spirituality: prayer books, texts on Orthodox doctrine, lives of the saints, and recordings of Byzantine chant on CD and DVD. Visitors can also buy homemade jam produced by the brothers, a common source of income for monasteries that support themselves partly through their own labor.

What else do the monks do besides pray?

Beyond the liturgical prayer that structures daily monastic life, the community is also active in publishing, producing patristic texts and materials on Orthodox spirituality. This kind of writing and editorial work has deep roots in monasteries founded by monks trained on Mount Athos, where the written transmission of teaching has long accompanied the contemplative life.

Frequently asked questions

Is the monastery located in the village of Saint-Laurent-en-Royans itself? No, it sits a few kilometers outside the village, toward Combe Laval, surrounded by the rocky heights typical of the Vercors massif.

Which church jurisdiction does the community belong to? It belongs to the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of France under the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, and functions as a metochion of the Simonopetra monastery on Mount Athos.

Do visitors need to book a visit in advance? Tours take place during fixed seasonal opening hours without a mandatory reservation, though checking the monastery's current schedule beforehand is recommended.

What is the highlight of the church interior? The Byzantine-style wall paintings covering about 600 square meters, created by iconographer Yaroslav Dobrynine and his wife Galina.