The monks' oak

In 1132, Henry of Carinthia, Cistercian abbot of Morimond, arrived in a small, quiet valley, surrounded by majestic forests and crossed by the Canner, a small stream whose source is nearby. He was accompanied by monks and converses, laborers, stonecutters and blacksmiths. On land donated by the Duke of Lorraine and other generous donors, they founded the Abbey of Villers-Bettnach in a place conducive to meditation and work. At first, a small chapel dedicated to Sainte-Catherine, named after one of the foundation's donors, was built. The building where it stood still exists. The gable is adorned with three Romanesque windows, typical of the period. This was followed by the construction of the classic buildings found in all other abbeys: church, abbey-church, cloister, chapter house, chauffoir, refectory, dormitories, library, storeroom, storehouse, workshops for carpentry, blacksmithing, construction and reception of foreigners. The Abbey of Villers-Bettnach quickly became a major influence. Teams of monks trained here left to found new abbeys in Austria, Belgium, Germany and Yugoslavia. After the revolutionary turmoil and the departure of the last monks, the buildings were sold as national property and demolished as quarries. The abbey church was less than a century old. Visitors to the site will discover the Chapelle des Humbles, restored by the Association, the portal of Monseigneur Coislin, the gable of the Chapelle Sainte Catherine, the ruins and, some distance away, the pond, the monastery's water reserve.

Located in the heart of the Lorraine region, in the heart of the countryside, La Porcherie restaurant, a specialist in group dining, is an authentic, simple and friendly place with a pastoral and bucolic atmosphere. For over 40 years, this former pigsty has been welcoming you to spend a good time with your family, friends and children, celebrating your special events: birthdays, weddings, company meals, parties with friends, communions, end-of-year meals, christenings, surprise birthdays, family reunions, wedding anniversaries, works councils...