Abbaye de Saint-Ferme, Benedictine abbey in Saint-Ferme, France

The Abbaye de Saint-Ferme is a Benedictine complex of grey and beige stone, its slate-roofed tower with a small belfry rising beside a steep pyramidal roof. The flat central facade has tall mullioned windows, and a taller right-hand block carries two balconies, one with a dark metal railing. The 13th-century convent buildings, altered until the 19th century, are arranged around a paved courtyard.

The monastery was founded in the 6th century and later fortified during the 14th century Hundred Years War. These defensive structures were added to protect the site from attack.

The abbey stands on the via Lemovicensis route to Santiago de Compostela, between Pellegrue and Monségur, and from the start served pilgrims: the ground floor of the south wing held the hostelry and refectory, with a blind wall toward the cloister to keep the monks enclosed. In 2000 the old south doorway of the hostelry was replaced by a stained-glass window devoted to Compostela.

The site is now shared by the town hall and a museum about monastic life. Roman coins found in 1986 provide insight into the site's long history.

The monastery once managed six priories, eight mills, and five wine cellars as economic operations. This network shows how far-reaching the community's activities extended.