Retreat-Holidays
La Baume
Jesuit Spiritual, Cultural and Training Centre
Stephanie Rybak, the Director of Retreat-Holidays, writes:
I first discovered and fell in love with la Baume 35 years ago, when I was living in Aix-en-Provence. It was one of the first locations that occurred to me when I set up Retreat-Holidays four years ago, but at that time the bedrooms were not up to the standard that we require. However, la Baume has now upgraded and offers en suite facilities, so I am delighted to be able to share with our clients a place that is so special to me.
A guided tour in pictures...
On arrival, you approach the house up a drive lined with plane trees:
At the top of the drive is the main house, with the oratory/weekday chapel in the lefthand wing and reception straight ahead:
Up a flight of stairs is the main chapel, with its plain glass window looking out onto woodland behind the altar-table:
A few more steps bring you to the dining room:
And then it is the "arches", a sort of cloister at the heart of the site:
On this level is the Acampado café (acampado being a Provençal word for a place where people meet to talk). You can buy a reasonably priced lunch here and also buy soft and hot drinks up until mid-afternoon; drinks machines are also available at all times of day and night.
The café has indoor and outdoor seating:
From the level of the Acampado, a lift is available up to the bedrooms.
All of those booked for our group are en suite and have attractive views:
Outside, the grounds are extensive and lend themselves to prayer-walks:
For two excellent 360° panoramic views of la Baume, from their own website, click here.
La Baume: a house with a history
1632 – 1763: country house of the Royal Bourbon College of Aix
- 1632 Then called the “Bastide Saint-Alexis” [a Provençal bastide is a solid country house], the estate belonged to the Royal Bourbon College of Aix, the Jesuit college of Aix-en-Provence; it served as a place of relaxation for pupils and teachers. A trace of this period is to be found in the monogram IHS (Jesus, Saviour of Men) which is still legible on the fountain at the foot of the terrace.
- 1696 The house was also used for retreats. It was enlarged, bedrooms were built…
1763 – 1950: various owners
In 1763, the Jesuits were banished from the kingdom of France. The Bastide Saint-Alexis was sold and changed hands over the centuries. The owners included the Bonnet de la Baume family, who gave it its present name, and the Grignan family whose coat of arms is to be seen above the entrance of the old house to the left of the entrance courtyard.
1950-1971: place of formation for young Jesuits
- 1952 The Jesuits bought the property back, adapted and enlarged it to establish a novitiate and a house of studies there (construction of the present chapel, the covered walkway, the kitchen-dining room building and work on the bedrooms)
- 1971 La Baume changes its vocation and becomes a place of welcome, reflection and formation open to all.
From 1971 to the present day
La Baume is a cultural, spiritual and theological centre, a place of welcome and reflection. It is run by Jesuits and lay people.
Dates prices flights and trains