Chartreuse de Mélan

The site has been in existence for 700 years that has taken it from monastery and small seminary, via local orphanage to its current role as a renowned contemporary art centre and concert hall.

Visit the Charteuse de Mélan! * Built in the 13th century, the Chartreuse de Mélan was a monastery for nuns of the Carthusian order until the French Revolution. It became a school in 1804. In 1906 it was acquired by the Department of Haute-Savoie and was converted into an orphanage in 1923. A fire in 1967 destroyed most of the buildings, taking 18 victims. Today, only the church, the cloister, and the old farm remain standing. A blend of medieval simplicity and contemporary art, the site pairs the austere architecture and partially preserved frescoes of the church with a sculpture park.