The relatively unknown region of Thiérache has traditionally been a border area near Belgium, which often caused problems. This was especially the case during the Spanish rule in the Netherlands in the 16th and 17th centuries. The religious war was raging and the border residents suffered greatly from plundering (Spanish) soldiers and robbers. Where possible, the manor houses, castles and farms in the area were fortified to ensure that the residents were safe and the attackers remained outside the walls, but where there were no or not enough fortified houses, it was decided to adapt the churches. Existing churches were usually renovated and fortified. A few churches were rebuilt.

The villages are close together here and you can often see the church tower of the neighbouring village. In earlier times this was even life-saving. If an attack was imminent, the church bells were rung and could be heard far and wide. The next village also rang its bells and the villages after that, so that everyone could get to safety in time. The villagers and sometimes soldiers, went to church with their belongings.
People climbed up the narrow staircase into the tower, where they entered a larger space where they could stay for days. Some churches had multiple floors. Even the cattle were herded up the narrow staircase. The spaces were not particularly large and with many people it quickly became overcrowded. There was a flue so that cooking could be done and there were wooden partitions where the most valuable animals could be housed. Narrow (shooting) slots were made in the tower(s) where the villagers could shoot at the enemy or throw down pitch or oil to defend themselves somewhat.

This tour of fortified churches focuses on the eastern part of Thiéarche, located in the western part of the Ardennes department. The route starts and ends in Signy-le-Petit. Here you will find the Saint-Nicolas church, dating from the end of the 15th century. The walls, three metres thick at the foot of the tower, are made of quartz slate. Through the square portico tower flanked by two watchtowers with so-called pepper pots, you enter the vaulted nave of bricks on intersecting ribs of yellow stone.
Another magnificent fortified church can be found in Aouste with stylistic features of the 15th and 17th centuries. The only white stone building built as a refuge for the population. An underground cellar, now walled up with a large chimney, allowed for a fairly long period of isolation. escape. The tower is connected to a raised loft. A well and a bread oven completed the reception system. The tower was accessed by a staircase partly in the nave, partly in the semi-circular tower attached to it. Strong buttresses reinforce the construction. A hundred villagers and their cattle once lived in the church for over three years.
The fortified church of Jeantes is a historical monument and was rebuilt during the Wars of Religion, which caused many Huguenots to flee. It dates from the 16th century and has a façade flanked by two square brick towers. The interior of the church is decorated with murals and frescoes created by the Dutch painter Charles Eyck in 1962, as well as remarkable stained glass windows. The paintings represent scenes from the Gospel and landscapes by Thiérache, in a style close to expressionism and the work of Chagall, Picasso or Modigliani. The stained glass windows illustrate the life of Monique Carlin, founder of a religious congregation, and the four elements. The church has been listed as a historical monument since 1987.

The countryside is not that exciting though; you shift your focus to spotting a fortified church. Usually you can see them from a great distance. Because the villages are close together, the route promises to be unpredictable and the road generally runs inland, along church paths and farm roads. Extra time is included for the most beautiful examples and if the village lends itself to it, a stop for coffee or lunch. In this region, finding a petrol station is a challenge and you are advised to fill your tank at the start.