Abbaye Notre-Dame d'Ourscamp

This enchanting place breathes history. There are dilapidated abbey ruins, a wing of the magnificent baroque façade still intact, and another half with bullet holes from the 20th century World Wars. The beauty of the original Romanesque-Gothic buildings is accentuated by the spacious park. For a small entrance, an idyll that is worth the detour!

The Abbey of Ourscamp is located a few kilometres from Noyon, in the high valley of the Oise. Founded in 1129, it is the second oldest Cistercian abbey in Picardy. It has been destroyed and rebuilt several times. Its longevity and conflicts have contributed to the changes of the abbey: religious building, hospital, manufacture; over the centuries it has had various functions.
Admire the ruins of the Gothic choir of the abbey church, which form a magnificent stone structure. The nave, of which nothing remains, had 9 sides that are now symbolised by pines. Finally, the 13th century infirmary, also called the death chamber, is also worth a visit.
For the anecdote: the name of the abbey dates back to the 7th century. In 641, the advisor of King Dagobert began the construction, and according to the anecdote, he would have used a bear to transport the heaviest material…

We used the abbey park for our breakfast. A wonderful place for a break. 🫖🥖