Couvent des Cordeliers de Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde

The Couvent des Cordeliers de Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde is a Gothic monastery in La Neuville-en-Hez with a protected entrance portico and historic buildings located west of Boulincourt near the Hez-Froidmont forest. The complex comprises several structures typical of Franciscan communities that served both spiritual and practical needs.

The monastery grew from a hermitage founded by a nobleman from Montigny in 1470 around a chapel dedicated to Saint Anthony, and was constructed between 1480 and 1483. Its establishment came after papal approval for a Franciscan settlement in the region.

This monastery served as a spiritual center where followers of the Franciscan order lived according to their religious principles. The community shaped how people in the surrounding area viewed faith and monastic life for centuries.

Visits should be arranged in advance, as access to many areas is limited and the site sits in a quiet, wooded location. It is best to contact the site beforehand and be prepared for an outdoor setting.

Archaeological work in the 1980s uncovered evidence of possible Merovingian occupation at the site, several centuries before the monastery was built. This suggests the location held importance for people long before the convent's construction.