Monastère Notre-Dame d'Hurtebise

Monastère Notre-Dame d'Hurtebise is a Benedictine monastery set on a forested plateau roughly 3 km from the small town of Saint-Hubert, in the Belgian province of Luxembourg. Sitting at nearly 550 metres above sea level in the heart of the Ardennes, the site is surrounded by woodland that gives it an unusually quiet, contemplative atmosphere.

How did the community come to Hurtebise?

The story begins in 1935, when a group of nuns settled on the site of a former farm on the plateau. The old farm buildings served as a temporary home before a proper monastery building went up just three years later, in 1938, and it remains the heart of the community today. Since then the sisters have followed the Rule of Saint Benedict, structuring their days around prayer, work, and silence.

What is life like at the monastery today?

Around fifteen nuns currently live at Hurtebise. Their day is shaped by the liturgical hours, with Sunday Mass celebrated at 10:30. On the third Friday of each month, the community also holds special vespers dedicated to prayer for Europe — a practice adopted after 2017, when nuns from the Sacré-Cœur d'Oriocourt abbey in Lorraine joined the community. At that point, the Bishop of Metz entrusted the sisters with a specific mission: to pray for the unity and future of the European continent.

Beyond communal prayer, the monastery hosts retreats and formation sessions, welcoming lay visitors looking for a period of quiet away from everyday life. School groups also visit, and during exam periods local students come to study in the calm, focused environment the site offers.

Can visitors tour the monastery?

The monastery itself is not open for tourist visits — it remains an active religious community rather than a sightseeing attraction in the usual sense. However, visitors are always welcome to step into the monastery church for prayer or quiet reflection. It's this open-door policy at the church, requiring no appointment, that draws people seeking a moment of spiritual calm while exploring the Ardennes.

Getting there generally requires your own transport or careful planning, since bus connections to Hurtebise are limited — it's worth checking timetables before setting out.

Frequently asked questions

Can you visit Monastère Notre-Dame d'Hurtebise? Not as a tourist site — it's an active monastery. The monastery church, however, stays open to visitors for private prayer.

How many nuns currently live there? The community numbers around fifteen sisters, living according to the Rule of Saint Benedict.

How far is Hurtebise from the centre of Saint-Hubert? About 3 km, on a forested Ardennes plateau at nearly 550 metres of elevation.

Are there services open to outside visitors? Yes — Sunday Mass at 10:30 is open to the public, and vespers dedicated to Europe are held on the third Friday of each month.

When was the community at Hurtebise founded? The nuns settled on the plateau in 1935, and the current monastery building was constructed in 1938.