Canton of Signy-L'abbaye: Forest Trails, Abbey History and Theatre

If you are looking for a hotel for a trip to the Canton of Signy-L'abbaye, its landscapes and cultural offerings can help you choose what kind of trip to take. In Signy-l'Abbaye, vast forest landscapes meet hiking trails, a long abbey history, summer theatre performances and brewing heritage. Consider whether you would prefer to spend your stay in the forest, attend a cultural event or combine both.

Forest and hiking trails

Signy-l'Abbaye lies at the centre of a large, crescent-shaped forest that opens to the east. Its extensive forest tracts are separated by the Vaux, a river that has its source here. The Forêt de Signy-l'Abbaye covers 4,563 hectares and is home to a rich variety of flora and fauna. The forest area also includes the outlet of the impressive Gibergon resurgence spring. The area describes its extent, while the crescent shape describes its outline; the Vaux and Gibergon are two distinct water features in this landscape.

The Sentier découverte des Planètes is a themed hiking trail offered by the astronomy association of Signy-l'Abbaye as Route No. 61. It is 7.5 kilometres long and classified as a moderately difficult two-hour hike. Hiking Trail No. 56 through the forest of Signy-l'Abbaye passes through damp valleys crossed by fast-flowing streams. If you want to plan your hiking time, the planet trail has a specific two-hour duration; Trail No. 56 is distinguished by its damp valleys and fast-flowing streams.

Abbey history and culture

The former Notre-Dame de Signy Abbey was founded as a Cistercian abbey on 25 March 1135. At the upper end of Rue du Château stands the Croix des convers, a seven-metre-high monolith. The founding date and the monolith offer different points of interest: a precisely dated abbey history and a specific monument in today’s townscape.

For more than 90 years, the Théâtre de la Vieille Route has staged one to four plays every summer during the first half of August, over a period of no more than 15 days. If you are planning a trip around the performances, check the annual programme in advance. Alongside the precisely dated founding of the abbey, the theatre’s recurring summer tradition, which has continued for more than 90 years, offers a different measure of time.

The Château de Montaubois also offers tours, including of the Baroque chapel and the Ardennes Automobile Museum. These two attractions offer different cultural experiences. Since museum and reservation details may change, check the latest visitor information before your trip.

Local brewing heritage

Bière de Signy offers guided brewery tours followed by tastings by prior reservation. Be sure to book in advance and check the latest arrangements before your trip. Another link to brewing is Bière de l'Abbaye de Signy, which connects Cistercian brewing traditions with the original abbey grounds.

Discover more destinations: Signy-Le-Petit, Buzancy, Machault, Olizy-Primat, Saint-Laurent, Givet, Monthermé, Launois-Sur-Vence.

See the broader travel overview: Ardennes.