Chantelle, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
Abbaye Saint-Vincent de Chantelle
Benedictine nuns have lived since 1853 in the former priory of Saint-Vincent at Chantelle, in the Allier, built into the precinct of the castle of the dukes of Bourbon.
The community has announced that it will leave the abbey within about two years and sell it, keeping a say over its future use, and move to a house nearby that needs substantial works before it can be occupied, not before 2027.
Before you act. The sisters stay in the town; it is the abbey building that is being given up. No sale price or buyer has been published.
Last checked 9 November 2026. Parts of this entry could not be fully confirmed; see the note above.
Épinac, France
A joint statement of 7 October 2026 by the bishop of Autun, the prioress general and the Jeunesse-Lumière school says the sisters will leave at the end of 2026. The Family of Bethlehem remains owner and lends the site to the school of prayer and mission from September 2027; the church stays open.
Jonquières, France
The bishop of Beauvais, Noyon and Senlis announced on 21 April 2026 that the community is closing: six aging sisters remain and no reinforcement has come. They are leaving over the following months for other Carmels or care homes; the future of the building and of the memorial crypt of the martyrs is still being discussed.