• Charterhouse of Notre-Dame de Durbon

    Chartreuse de Durbon / Durbonis / Boachiane

    (Saint-Julien-en-Beauchêne, Hautes-Alpes)

    • Charterhouse of Durbon
    Charterhouse of Durbon
    Unknown author (17th century)
    Museum of the Grande Chartreuse
    Cartoixa
    Carthusians

    The charterhouse of Durbon was founded in 1116 by the mother house of Grande Chartreuse (Isère), with the support of the Bishop of Gap and the Beldinard family, who provided the land for its establishment. The early period was difficult; it was not until 1178, when Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa endowed it financially and facilitated its expansion, which led to conflicts with other estates, especially the Templars, due to grazing rights, the main source of subsistence for the monastery.

    Charterhouse of Durbon
    Charterhouse of Durbon
    Old postcard. Private collection

    In 1405, the house was destroyed by an arson attack but was rebuilt thanks to the intervention of Pope Benedict XIII, who imposed a tax on the inhabitants of several surrounding dioceses. The female charterhouse of Notre-Dame de Bertaud depended on this house. In 1453, that community moved to a house near Durbon due to another fire that had affected their establishment. They remained there until 1601, when the last nun transferred to the house of Prémol (Isère). Durbon was a victim of the Wars of Religion, but it managed to recover and continued its monastic activity until the Revolution. In 1790, the Carthusians were expelled, and the buildings fell into ruin.

    Charterhouse of Durbon
    Charterhouse of Durbon
    From Maisons de l'ordre des Chartreux (1913)
    Charterhouse of Durbon
    Charterhouse of Durbon
    From Le Tour du monde (1860)
    Charterhouse of Durbon
    Charterhouse of Durbon
    Unknown author (17th century)
    Museum of the Grande Chartreuse
    Bibliography:
    • AMARGIER, Paul; i altres (1988). Chartreuses de Provence. Ais de Provença: Edisud
    • AUBERT, R. (1960). Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie ecclésiastiques. Vol. 14. París: Letouzey et Ané
    • CARTOIXA DE NOTRE-DAME DES PRÉS (1913). Maisons de l'ordre des Chartreux. Vol. I. Chartreuse de Notre-Dame des Prés (Tournai)
    • CHARRONNET, Charles (s.d.). Monastères de Durbon et de Berthaud (Diocèse de Gap), documents historiques. Grenoble: Merle
    • CHARTON, Édouard; dir. (1860). Le Tour du monde, nouveau journal des voyages. París: Hachette
    • COTTINEAU, Laurent-Henri (1936). Répertoire topo-bibliographique des abbayes et prieurés. Vol. 1. Mâcon: Protat
    Location:

    The few remaining ruins of the charterhouse are located in the commune of Saint-Julien-en-Beauchêne, in a valley that opens to the east of the village