The Garden of Simples

Nestled inside the Carmelite Convent

Cross the threshold of the temple of the Carmelites, and discover in its heart, the garden, wrapped by the arches of the cloister. Fruit trees, vegetable plants, medicinal plants, spices, condiments and flowers, bloom peacefully. An intimate and serene interlude.

A little history

If you look closely at the four facades and galleries vaulted over crooked arches, they will remind you of those of the place Nationale with those monumental pilasters, the profile of the arches or even the stone tables. An inscription above the central archway, facing the entrance, is dedicated to Intendant Foucault, recognized as a benefactor of the Ordre du Carmel.

Let yourself be transported into the meanderings of the past, as you read the religious maxims inscribed on the walls. Precious relics, from the time when the sisters of Notre-Dame-de-Charité-du-Refuge had founded here, an establishment for young girls (1841).

Did you know that?

The term “simple” really means “medicinal“. Each plant, tree, has a specific purpose to allow the community to thrive. Of course, this garden has lost its vocation to feed and heal the convent, but the agricultural and therapeutic heritage is there. As you walk through this garden, you learn the names of forgotten plants with essential virtues. It is an opportunity to reconnect with the history and way of life of our ancestors.