Monastery of Saint-Paul de Mausole

Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France

Saint-Paul de Mausole is a former monastery in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. Several rooms of the building have been converted into a museum to Vincent van Gogh, who stayed there in 1889–1890 at a time when the monastery had been converted to an asylum.

The monastery was built in the 11th century. Franciscan monks established a psychiatric asylum there in 1605.

In the aftermath of the 23 December 1888 breakdown that resulted in the self-mutilation of his left ear, Vincent van Gogh voluntarily admitted himself to the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole lunatic asylum on 8 May 1889. Housed in a former monastery, Saint-Paul-de-Mausole catered to the wealthy and was less than half full when Van Gogh arrived, allowing him to occupy not only a second-story bedroom but also a ground-floor room for use as a painting studio.

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Details

Founded: 11th century
Category: Religious sites in France
Historical period: Birth of Capetian dynasty (France)

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.4/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Tingyi Lee (6 months ago)
Must-visit spot for Van Gogh’s fans! You can see the environment where Van Gogh lived, his doctor’s office, the patient rooms, bathrooms, and various exhibits related to psychiatry. The garden view is excellent, and from the staircase, there is a scene that Van Gogh was very fond of, which he painted 14 times.
Hana Justin (7 months ago)
It is small place. But with all the charm and vibes. We were lucky to see it almost empty and with the low light of september sun you feel like you are blending into Van Gogh's painting. Special place and beautiful surrounding also
Ioannis Dalas (7 months ago)
What an amazing place. We were astounded by the plethora of different kind of beauty in this monastery. It has a lot of things to like. The environment (depending on when you are visiting) is beautiful. The atmosphere in general gives some peaceful vibes. We relaxed just sitting there thinking of the past and what happened there when Van Gogh was living in the monastery. Incredible and mesmerizing place.
Craig Gundry (8 months ago)
If you are a lover of Van Gogh and his work then this place is a must to visit . 8 euros entry for adults 6 euros for teens and under 11s are free . Steeped in history and Van Gogh . You are able to freely walk around and enter Vincent's bedroom . Stand in the places that inspired many of his finest works in the Asylum. The gardens are beautiful . About 1 hour here is plenty There is a gift shop but no refreshments ,for that there are shops in Saint Remy just a few minutes down the road .
Robert (9 months ago)
A wonderful place to visit and to understand better Vincent van Gogh’s art. Vincent was forced to be a patient here for over a year, and was inspired by the landscapes at the asylum, a large complex that was formerly a monastery. Still a patient facility today, though not in the same buildings!
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