Charterhouse of Le Liget

The foundation is generally dated to 1178, when construction of the charterhouse is believed to have begun. The first church, of medieval origin, was probably consecrated before Henry II's death. Le Liget developed thanks to royal support, especially that of Charles V of France (1337-1380), who, during the second half of the fourteenth century, sponsored the construction of thirteen new cells after permission had been granted to increase the number of Carthusians to twenty-five. The Hundred Years' War does not appear to have directly affected the community, but during the French Wars of Religion the charterhouse was occupied and plundered by the Huguenots. In 1562 the monks were forced to flee, and in 1589 they suffered a new occupation, during which the monastic archives were lost. In 1596 the complex was fortified and, during the eighteenth century, it underwent a general reconstruction.

Not far from the monastery stands the correrie (Corroirie), a characteristic feature of Carthusian houses, separated from the monastic enclosure and devoted to the administration and agricultural exploitation of the estate. This site escaped destruction and still preserves much of its remarkable medieval fabric. In another isolated location stands the church of Saint-Jean du Liget, linked to the earliest period of the foundation.