Grande Chartreuse (monastery)

The Grande Chartreuse is a historic monastery in the French Alps, established in 1084 by Christian hermits seeking spiritual solitude. It is the mother house of the Carthusian order, a Roman Catholic monastic community dedicated to contemplative prayer and silence. The monks live a cloistered life focused on prayer, manual labor, and austerity, away from worldly distractions. The monastery is renowned for its pristine mountain setting, strict discipline, and the creation of Chartreuse liqueur, produced by the monks since the 18th century. It remains an influential symbol of monastic dedication and spiritual retreat.