Riaumont, Religious shrine in Liévin, France

Riaumont is a stone building complex on the hill of Riaumont in Liévin, Pas-de-Calais. Its right side rises into a tall conical spire of rough grey stone with a rectangular opening near its base and a glowing yellow neon figure mounted on its front face. To the left, a rounded tower-like section, a sloping roofline and a large arched doorway with a dark wooden door stand behind a low white post-and-rail fence.

Father Albert Revet bought land in the Riaumont woods in 1958 and founded the Sainte-Croix institute there; the first stone of the children's village was laid in 1960. The DDASS placed boys under its care and the State funded buildings and staff salaries, but after a 1979 report on maltreatment the approval and funding ended in 1982. The Saint-Jean-Bosco school, created in 1990, was struck from the academic register in 2019 and its closure confirmed by the Conseil d'État in 2024.

The shrine houses collections honoring World War I chaplains and displays scouting traditions with historical uniforms and gear from different periods. Visitors can observe how these movements shaped the place over time.

The site is best explored on foot, as buildings are connected by pathways and stairs throughout the complex. Visitors should be prepared for varying terrain and adapt to the weather conditions typical of northern France.

Visitors can observe how young people here learn traditional crafts through real construction projects rather than classroom lessons alone. This hands-on training shapes daily life at the site as much as religious instruction does.