Saint-Michel in Thiérache, a small town of 3,500 inhabitants, is located in the northeast of the Aisne department, on the border of Belgium and the Ardennes, and not far from the Nord department. It includes the hamlets of Montorieux, Blissy, les Vallées and Champ-de-l'Etry. Its territory, which extends over 4,220 hectares, makes it one of the largest municipalities in the department.
The forest, which occupies more than half of its surface area, is renowned for its communication routes (including the Charlemagne road), by which the Franco-Belgian border is easily reached; the first Belgian village, Macquenoise, is only seven kilometers from the center of Saint-Michel.
An agricultural and forestry commune at the beginning of the 19th century, Saint-Michel owes its growth to its industrial prosperity. The industrial development of Saint-Michel began in the second half of the 19th century. This was essentially based on the extension of the Sougland Foundries created in 1543.
Today, economic activity revolves around three major industries: the automobile industry, the construction industry and the metallurgical industry.
Cultural activities also add rhythm to local life. These are linked to two institutions:
The abbey site, a former Benedictine abbey from the 12th, 13th, 15th, 17th and 18th centuries, pearl of Thiérache, will strike you with its beauty and majesty. In the old agricultural buildings of the abbey is the Museum of Rural and Forestry Life where the old trades of yesteryear which made Thiérache famous are covered.
The media library: Installed in a barn, it opened its doors in June 1990, offering the public a library, a discotheque and a multimedia section, open for 2 years. The CD ROMs can be consulted on site.