The Charterhouse of Notre-Dame de Bonnefoy was founded in 1156 thanks to the patronage of Guillaume de Fay (or Guillaume Jourdain), lord of the area and of the castle of Mézenc. By 1179, the community was already fully active. Philippa, the founder’s daughter, became linked to the comital house of the Valentinois (centred in Valence) through her marriage to Aymar II, after which the county became one of the charterhouse’s chief protectors.
Thanks to this support, Bonnefoy accumulated a notable patrimonial estate, with holdings spread across a wide territory. In the first quarter of the 15th century, however, it suffered the effects of the Hundred Years’ War: a military raid forced the community to flee and take refuge in various unsuitable places, including the castle of Mézenc itself. Once the situation had stabilised, the Carthusians strengthened the monastery’s defences, but these works did not prevent the house from being occupied by the Huguenots in 1569, during the Wars of Religion.
Later on, the continued instability of the region and the isolation of the site made it necessary to keep a military garrison, which worsened the financial situation. At the same time, a possible relocation of the charterhouse was considered, a project that generated further expenditure. Ultimately, it was decided to restore the existing complex, which had been damaged by a fire in 1653. Restoration work continued until the Revolution, when the Carthusians took refuge in Switzerland and the site was put up for sale. Some elements have nevertheless survived, such as the bell tower and the 18th-century façade, while the rest now lies in ruins.
Illustration from Maisons de l'ordre des Chartreux (1915)
Image from Wikimedia
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The remains of the charterhouse are located in the commune of Le Béage (Ardèche), in an isolated area to the south-east of Le Puy-en-Velay