History of the old monastery "St Paul" du Haut Toupian

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As early as at the end of the sixteenth century, St Paul's Monastery of Haut Toupian was mentioned in the Christian Annals of the Diocese of Nîmes. The reason for were feudal, as well as religious unrest and bloodshed in the area of ​​Goudargues. The texts of the Diocese of Nîmes further show that unfortunately at the beginning of the seventeenth century many of the surrounding out-houses and farms  that belonged to the monastery were destroyed.

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Only the chapel and the adjoining lodgings of the nuns were spared. Various sources report that the remains of the monastery served as accommodation for farmers as well as shepherds. Some say that around 1900 the monastery was a small Catholic school.

It is more than likely that over the centuries the monastery has been rebuilt and modified many times over, according to the needs of its inhabitants.

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By 1950, only a small part of the house in the northeastern section of the former monastery was habitable. The oldest area fell victim to the ravages of time and was almost completely destroyed.

 

In the 1960, thanks to the dedication of a local art and real estate agent, the former monastery was brought back to life and lovingly rebuilt stone by stone according to the old blueprints.

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In 2012, Dr Thomas Rau, head physician and director of the renowned Swiss Paracelsus Clinic and Academy, and his wife Elisabeth Rau took on this incredibly beautiful property as a life project. The couple Rau planned the renovation with the utmost care, so that today the Ancien Monastère has been transformed into a contemporary yet authentic, large and luxurious holiday home in a unique environment.

Since 2012 the estate has grown to 11 hectares, which encompass Lavender, olives groves, almond groves, pomegranates and kiwi trees, plus beautifully tended gardens and sprawling lawns tended to by two devoted caretakers and manageresses of the house and estate.

The life project of the family Rau is far from complete, they have far-reaching, and extensive plans for the future of the property.

 

But the wonderful thing is that this historic property has been preserved to this day, and you can now receive an unforgettable holiday.