Taizé Community

I visited the place in 2009. Taizé Community is in France. It is a religious place run by the Taizé brothers who are from different religious backgrounds coming together to form a community. It's a place where everyone no matter which religion you affiliate with as long as you believe in God. The old, and young, all meet here to explore their spiritual life and learn from the brothers and other volunteers. Every year they pick volunteers from different countries of the world to experience the spiritual journey created by these brothers in the community and to help in coordinating activities every week to help the people who visit there every week have a beautiful and learning experience. They host thousands of youths from all over the world every week to come to experience the same. They also encourage those who visit to have a week of total silence where no talking or interracting with other people unless you are eating or going to church to pray. This journey helps ensure that you get connected to the deeper inner self in finding that connection with your God.

1 star reviews are mainly from people who do not seem to appreciate that Taizé is NOT a well funded resort or luxury holiday camp. (Also from anti-religious/anti-Christian obsessives.) You must also appreciate that the place is mainly geared to youth (teenagers and young adults 16-30 years) and to adults of all ages who are seeking respite and silent retreat. Therefore it is extremely important that you make arrangements in advance and don’t just show up unexpectedly, because there are safeguarding issues! (The Taizé community are very serious about addressing physical abuse and sexual exploitation, even when the perpetrators are their own Brothers!) Likewise families with small children may find it uncomfortable/unwelcoming, including if your babies disturb the service. They simply aren’t equipped to support you. 😢 HOWEVER, if you are a young person or adult looking for a place of simplicity and tranquility, you are in for a treat! ACCOMMODATION: You have a choice of camping or shared dormitories. Under-30’s are separated from over-30’s. Camping is what you make of it, most people travel very light. Dormitories are six bunk beds with a rack for luggage. You have a thin but relatively comfortable mat on a strong bed frame, and a clean fitted sheet. You are also given a very tiny pillow and a blanket, sometimes fleece but sometimes scratchy wool. I advise that you bring a spare sheet and your own pillow, and possibly more bedding if you are prone to discomfort or if it is a cold part of the year. FOOD: I have posted many photos of the meals you can expect. Always very simple, and portions are limited. Breakfast is a roll, butter, and jam or a stick of chocolate, and hot-ish/warm water to mix with instant coffee, powdered chocolate, powdered milk, and/or powdered lemony-tea. Lunch is usually a hot dish, dinner can be hot or cold, and these usually consist of a dish with a carbohydrate (like rice, potatoes, or pasta), a protein (usually beans, sometimes a tiny bit of chicken or fish), and some veggies, possibly some cheese or yoghurt on the side, and always a piece of fruit and plenty of bread and a small sweet thing to finish. IF there are leftovers and if you are quick you can snag a second helping of one thing or another! And water to drink. In the afternoon there is also a chance for a small snack and some cold citrus tea. ((There is a cafe on the edge of Taizé called OYAK but I will write a separate review for that!)) I am very picky about food and I found the meals to be very tasty and filling! ACCESSIBILITY: I saw many people in wheelchairs (all powered though, not manual) and plenty of people with other mobility devices. There are many paved areas and ramps, but also some rough ground in certain areas. Also the lighting in most places is poor and contrast isn’t great. There are very good accessible toilets and showers available. I do not have a disability so I can’t say from experience, but I think if you have concerns or access needs you can communicate with the Brothers ahead of time and work out an accommodation. DAILY LIFE: I have posted a picture of the daily schedule; meals are served at specific times, and prayer services are three times a day. As far as I know there is no one checking that you attend any services, so if you need to sleep in or whatever you can, but if you don’t plan to attend services why have you come to a Christian monastery?!?? When you arrive you are also assigned a work group. Once a day you join your group for a chore - it might be serving food or cleaning up after a meal, it might collecting rubbish or cleaning the toilets. Young people can also help out during the services or cleaning the church or other parts of the grounds, or working in the gardens, etc. Be ready to work, don’t let your team down, take joy in whatever you do! You also join a small study group, with whom you discuss certain topics or bible passages, usually related to the set liturgy, or assigned by one of the brothers during a morning collective bible study.

If you liked Taizé as a single, you will also like Taizé as family. It will be a little different with little kids. You may not make it to all prayers, may be one of the parents will have to stay in the children's room which is part of the big church but you will get the mich needed moments of peace and silence at least some parts of the stay. Your stay will be in Olinda which is around 1 km away. For our experience in family gathering, please read my review of Olinda. Wish you a blessed time in Taize as family.

The brothers live in simplicity, celibacy, and common life, in this ecumenical monastery - one of the few in the world. About half of them are Catholic and half Protestant. Come if you want to experience unity in the Christian faith and share, for a time, in the life of the brothers. Note the experience in the middle of the summer will involve large crowds of other visitors -- several thousand! But in the Fall and Spring, the number of visitors is likely to be around 100, for a more subdued experience. There is also always the option for a silent week or weekend 🙏 The brothers have other monasteries around the world, including in Senegal, Bangladesh, Korea, and Brazil, and are continually promoting unity across nationalities and religious traditions.

Taizé is a one of a kind experience, it is rich in many ways, it's strongest points all come down to these simple things: community, faith and hope. Although Taizé is in the simplest form is a "religious get away" you find out very quickly upon arrival it goes much, much further and deeper then that. For me it's all about the community, making friends, meeting people and truly realising there is hope for this world, as an agnostic I was welcomed with open arms. Another thing to mention is that although located in France the main language spoken is English, however there are many people from all over the world speaking more then good old english, so make it a task to meet new people and learn their language (its very fun!) you will meet french, Italian, Portuguese Swedish, Russian and the list goes on and on.