Standing at the edge of the forest, the Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Michel en Thiérache, founded in the 10th century on a 7th-century pilgrimage site, is now famous for its ancient and Baroque sacred music festival, which takes place every year in June and July.
The 12th, 13th and 17th-century abbey church, with its Baroque façade, large Gothic rose adorning the north transept, organ by Jean Boizard from 1714, brick and stone façades of the monastic buildings, north wing of the cloister and its 16th-century wall paintings illustrating the life of St. Benedict, and the museum of rural and forest life in the old abbey church farm, are some of the many attractions to be discovered on a tour of the site.
