1. Introduction – What is Cassiciacum?
For Saint Augustine, Cassiciacum was a place apart, a retreat from the hustle and bustle of the world, where he withdrew at the age of 32 with his friends to discern, study, pray and undergo inner conversion.
It was here that he lived a foundational experience of reflection, friendship and the search for God.
Our Cassiciacum takes up this spirit:
? a place to pause, reflect and grow
? discover Augustinian spirituality
? a week of study, prayer and fellowship in a magnificent setting.
2. Location: Notre-Dame des Châteaux (Beaufortain – Savoie)
One of the last small Beaufortain “châteaux”, perched above the village of Beaufort.
An ideal setting for a retreat: silence, mountains, vast meadows, exceptional views of the Beaufortin massif.
3. Date
Tuesday, August 18 to Sunday, August 23, 2026.
Arrival possible and recommended on Monday evening, August 17.
Departure on Sunday from 3pm.
4. Access
Notre-Dame-des-Châteaux, route de Champtardy D218B, 73270 Beaufort
Entrance to 5th bend at quarry: 45.729544, 6.562282
Arriving at the Munier garage, turn left at the Manant crossroads towards “Hauteluce/Les Saisies”. The entrance is at the fifth bend, level with the quarry. The path is narrow, so you can leave your car at the bottom.
By train + bus + walk
- Lyon → Albertville (TER): approx. 3h | ≈ €38
- Line N21 Albertville – Beaufort
Stops : Carrefour de Manant (to go up by car) or Domelin (to go up on foot) | approx. 30 min | ≈ €10 - Walk to the site:
3 km, approx. 40 min, path along the Doron then uphill
By car
- Lyon → Beaufort : 170 km | approx. 2h
5. The program: Study – Prayer – Fellowship
Personal and community studies
- Theology, Bible
- Writings of Saint Augustine (Confessions, letters, sermons…)
- Introduction to Augustinian spirituality
Prayer: the rhythm of the day
- Daily Mass (appointment at the Lord’s table)
- Prayer time (heart-to-heart with God)
- Offices (Lauds, Vespers… the prayer of the Church with the psalms)
- Spiritual or meditative evenings
Fraternity: simple, convivial living
- Community services (cooking, dishes, etc.)
- Evening of sharing, games and testimony
- Walk
Handicrafts at the château
- Clearing undergrowth, cutting wood
- Path creation and maintenance
- Artistic creation (frescoes, panels, etc.)
Local integration
- Welcoming visitors
- Pilgrimage to Notre Dame des Châteaux open to all.
- Sunday mass with parishioners.
6. A typical day
- 7:30 a.m. – Morning prayer
- 8:00 am – Breakfast
- 9h00 – Study / Teaching / Spiritual exchange
- 12:15pm – Mass
- 1:00 pm – Lunch
- 2:30 p.m. – Service / walking / silence / reading
- 5:00 p.m. – Bible workshop or group
- 7:00 pm – Dinner
- 8:30 pm – Vigil / sharing / evening service
- 10:00 pm – Silence
7. Animators
P. Clément Lobel, a.a.: Priest in Strasbourg, involved with young people, spiritual guidance and Augustinian and Alzonian spirituality.
Fr. François-Xavier Duthoit, a.a.: Missionary in Belgium to the 4 Assumption colleges, passionate about the Bible and theology, about matter and God.
8. What to take
- Bible
- Confessions of Saint Augustine
- Notebook + pen
- Sleeping bag
- Tent (if you want a night under the stars)
- Hiking shoes
- Warm clothing + windbreaker
- Gourd
- Headlamp
- Personal medications
9. Hosting
- Boys: dormitory in the castle
- Girls: small chalet
- Option: tented near the site
A simple, family atmosphere.
10. Tariff
165 €
(includes accommodation, meals, logistics, organization costs)
11. Info & Registration
- Mail: jeunes@assomption.org
- Website: https: //www.assomption-jeunes.org
- Register here!
12. FAQ (useful suggestions)
Who can come? All young adults aged 18 to 35, whether believers or seekers.
Is it necessary to already know Saint Augustine? No. Just the desire to discover.
Level required for walking? Accessible walks (Beaufort, Hauteluce) – nothing alpine.
Can I come alone? Yes, most come alone. The fraternal atmosphere makes it easier to meet people.
How many participants? We’re aiming for 15 people.
Historical setting: the sources that inspire the spirit of the place
1. Lord Bernard de Menthon
“As long as the world exists, honor and glory will be given to the Virgin Mary in my castle“.
Local tradition credits Bernard de Menthon, an early medieval figure, with founding the sanctuary of Notre-Dame des Châteaux, following a victory over the Saracens (10th century).
The site, perched on its promontory, has been considered a place of Marian protection and intercession for centuries(see more).
Man’s projects, however grandiose, are bound to find a foundation in God.
2. Saint Augustine’s retreat at Cassiciacum
In August 386, after hearing the preaching of Saint Ambrose, Augustine underwent a profound spiritual conversion and prepared for baptism (Easter 387). At the age of 32, he withdrew with his friends to Cassiciacum , north of Milan, Italy, to live :
an almost monastic life with students and family members.
an experience of study, philosophical dialogues on truth, happiness, wisdom and conversion
he read Cicero, the Neo-Platonists, then the Epistles of St. Paul and the Psalms .
→ This is the model that inspires our Augustinian School of Life.
3. Father Emmanuel d’Alzon: training at Lavagnac (1830 -1832)
The founder of the Augustinians of the Assumption, 20-year-old Emmanuel d’Alzon, also experienced a crucial period of discernment and study at the family estate in Lavagnac, between 1830 and 1832: philosophy, theology, deepening his vocation.
→ The parallel with Cassiciacum: a place of study, formation of the mind and transformation of the heart(See more)
4. The first Assumptionist alumnate (19th century)
The alumnate is a monastic educational institution developed by the Assumptionists in the 19th century, based on a simple, fraternal life marked by prayer, study, manual labor and community life.
“Father d’Alzon, considering these little ones still rough, but whose vocations carried great hopes, was inspired by the memory of the wedding feast at Cana and the six jugs of water that the Master transformed into generous wine. You are still only jugs full of water,” he said to these souls of good will, “but this is how you will perform the miracle””La Croix (1880)
Notre-Dame des Châteaux is part of a living tradition: that of an integral formation, rooted in the spirit of Augustine and extended by the intuition of Alzon(See more).
