Villers la Ville

In early March we made our first trip to Villers la Ville. This is an old abbey ruin that is located only 30 minutes from our home (to the south of Waterloo). The abbey was begun in 1146, founded as a Cistercian Abbey, and various improvements were made over time. The abbey was originally built with the intent that it be an austere place of study and prayer, but of course over time it became very ornate and palatial. The French Revolutionaries would have none of that, and during the French revolution the Abbey was closed and sold off as a national property to a materials merchant. Restoration was begun during the 19th century and is still in progress, more as an archaeological site than as an abbey!

We went back to visit Villers with Laura's dad when he was here in late March. He took this great picture of the ruins:

The ruins are very peaceful. It is a great place for a picnic and to let the kids run wild. We were even able to bring the dogs!

As you can see in these pictures, in the last two weeks we have gone from winter coat weather to short sleeves. We look forward to many more visits to Villers to see how it changes with the seasons.

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