“What if these walls could talk?” I wonder, standing before the Monastère de Bouvines. It stands in a wooded area of seven hectares. The building’s story is one of transformation and resilience.
Originally, this was a hunting lodge. Félix Aimé Dehau, a bourgeois from Lille, built it in the late Second Empire. His ancestors had owned land in Bouvines since the 18th century. The château was later expanded.
After the Second World War, the château became a monastery. It housed cloistered Dominican nuns. They named it Monastère du Cœur Immaculé de Marie. The nuns initially occupied only the château. It was not designed to be a monastery. They built additional buildings to create the three sides of the current cloister. This included the hotel and the chapel.
The Dominican sisters stayed for 58 years. Over time, vocations decreased. The sisters aged and could no longer maintain the monastery. They decided to leave and join another monastery.
In the 2000s, the estate was entrusted to the Chemin Neuf Community. This was after the departure of the Dominican sisters. The château suffered a severe fire. It was rebuilt from scratch. The ensemble was stripped of its precious furniture and beautiful trees. It was transformed into a center for prayer and hospitality.
Félix Dehau was a devout Christian. He was deeply involved in society and the Church. He founded the Institut de Genech. It trained young farmers. He also helped build the church of Bouvines and supported the construction of the Lille cathedral.
During World War II, the Germans requisitioned the house. Louise Dehau was one of Félix’s daughters. She made a vow that if God saved the people of Bouvines, she would dedicate the building to religious communities. The Félix Dehau Foundation made it available to the Dominican sisters in 1945.
Today, the Monastère de Bouvines continues its mission. Brothers and sisters from the Chemin Neuf Community live here permanently or occasionally. They continue the monastery’s vocation of prayer and fraternal life. Their daily tasks include working, welcoming guests, cooking, and maintaining the park and premises.
The address of the Monastère de Bouvines is 770 Rue Félix Dehau. It is located 15 km from Lille. The Monastère de Bouvines stands as a testament to faith, community, and renewal.