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The Mal Assises single borders the Saint-Michel Thiérache national forest. Located at the crossroads of two countries and three departments, the Saint-Michel forest stands out for its past steeped in history.

The 17th century Saint-Rémy church is one of the fortified churches of Thiérache. The exterior has this robust appearance that is typical of fortified churches. A fortified square tower is located in the left corner of the nave. It is pierced with cannon and loopholes. The villagers could flee upstairs via a spiral staircase in case of danger. The tower is connected to a raised attic. A well and a bread oven completed the reception system. The tower was accessed via a staircase partly in the nave, partly in the partial round tower attached to it. Powerful buttresses strengthen the structure.

Small place to turn to yourself 😊

The phenomenon of fortified churches and farms is typical of the Thiérache region. In the 16th century, the churches took over the role of protecting the population against the conquests of the French and the actions from Flanders. With cattle and all, people were sometimes locked up for weeks.

The Sint-Niklaaskerk is a very beautiful model of a fortified church on a spacious square with a music kiosk. The exterior is warlike in appearance, with a large square portico tower, dotted with embrasures, above the western portal, brick watchtowers at the corners of this tower, and other watchtowers on the arms of the transept. The walls of the tower are 3 m thick at the base and are made of quartz slate. The choir is equipped with a gatehouse that further reinforces the defensive vocabulary of this construction. The church was built at the end of the 17th century. After the previous one was burnt down by the Spaniards in 1636.

Place of reflection? This location is located in one of the most impressive massifs in the Ourthe Valley.