ALDERBERRY SHOULDER

Nestled in a meander of the Sambre River, in a green setting, the remains of this Cistercian abbey date back to the 7th century. They are among the most important in the country, along with those of Villers-la-Ville and Orval. Panels evoke its history and architecture, an audio guide tells the daily life of the monks. In the 7th century, Maurosus, a notorious brigand of the Middle Ages, returns to settle on the site of his misdeeds. In the hope of seeing his faults redeemed, he converted to Christianity and founded a monastery in Lobbes. Continuing his mission of evangelization, Maurosus founded another abbey a few leagues further away and called it "Alder" to evoke the local trees. The former highwayman then took the baptismal name Landelin, an appellation whose roots have been preserved in the neighbouring village of Landelies. Dependent on Lobbes at its creation, Alder shares the joys and hardships and has to endure many invasions.

In 1147, the disciples of Saint Bernard arrived to develop Aulne, which thus became a Cistercian abbey. From this period, Aulne-la-Riche entered into direct competition with Lobbes-la-Savante (an abbey located a little further upstream, of which nothing remains today) and alternated periods of splendour and decadence.

In 1794, the French revolutionaries passing through looted and burned the abbey, then drove the monks out. The latter returned a few decades later, but on the death of the last father abbot, only a hospice remained while the rest of the abbey was dismantled. It is said that many of the dwellings in the neighbouring villages drew stones from these ruins.

Brewery. Aulne Abbey houses a craft brewery located in a magnificent vaulted hall, to revive the monks' brewing tradition. They brewed beer there from the Middle Ages until 1849. Abandoned for just over a century, Aulne Abbey beer was relaunched (by laymen this time) in 1950 and brewed outside the walls for five decades. The brewery is lined with a tavern where you can taste the local beers, with a pleasant terrace when the weather permits.

Festivals. On the first weekend of July, the Juillet Musical d'Aulne offers a programme of classical music with, on Sundays, concerts and walks in various places on the site. On the last weekend of August, the three-day Scène sur Sambre festival delights fans of pop-rock-electro music and the site is taken over by thousands of festival-goers.