Hambye
And the Roche du Ham

The Abbey of Hambye was founded in 1145 and built over the following century. It flourished until the 15th century, and then went into a gradual decline, finally losing its last monk towards the end of the 18th century. At the Revolution it was, like all Church property, nationalised and sold, and was used for the next hundred years mostly as a stone quarry. It is now partly in private hands and partly owned and run by the municipality. A few of the monastic buildings survive, but the chief glory of Hambye is the skeletal ruins of the church, which are very beautiful.