Couvent des Récollets de Givet

Couvent des Récollets de Givet is a former Recollect friary standing in the centre of Givet, a fortress town in the Ardennes department, right on the border with Belgium. The complex fills an entire block bounded by rue des Récollets, rue Clémenceau, rue Calmette and rue Jean-Jaurès, with its chapel facing rue des Récollets and clearly visible from the street.

When was the friary built?

The Recollects first settled in Givet in 1615. Decades later, as the town was reshaped into a fortified stronghold, the original buildings stood too close to the new ramparts and had to be pulled down. The community moved further inside the walls, and a new convent went up in the 1680s, this time safely within the fortifications.

What does the building look like?

The new complex was laid out on a roughly square plan, with four wings enclosing a rectangular courtyard. A chapel was attached to the north side and is the best-preserved part of the ensemble today. Its nave runs ten bays long, covered by transverse barrel vaults built entirely in brick, arches included. The facade facing the square is split into two registers: a lower level in the bluish local Givet stone and an upper level in red brick. A central porch flanked by pilasters marks the entrance, empty niches sit on either side, and a triangular pediment pierced by an oculus tops the composition.

How did the friary change over time?

The French Revolution ended religious life here: in 1791 the friars were expelled and the army moved in. The military held the buildings continuously until 1920, nearly 130 years of barracks use that left a visible mark on the interiors — one striking example is a garage that was carved out of the east wing.

Can visitors see it today?

The former convent was listed as a monument historique in 2006. Its chapel now hosts cultural events held in Givet, making it the one part of the complex regularly open to the public, while the rest of the building retains the footprint of the 17th-century convent despite the alterations from its long military chapter.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the convent located? In central Givet, within the block bordered by rue des Récollets, rue Clémenceau, rue Calmette and rue Jean-Jaurès; the chapel fronts rue des Récollets.

Is this the same building as the Couvent des Récollectines in Givet? No. The Récollets were a male Franciscan order and the Récollectines their female counterpart; despite the similar name, Givet has two separate convent buildings with distinct histories.

How old is the friary? The first building dates to 1615, but the structure seen today comes from the rebuilding of the 1680s, after the community relocated inside the town's fortifications.

Can the building be visited? The chapel opens for cultural events organised in Givet; the rest of the former convent serves other purposes and is not generally open as a tourist site.