Sentiers du Patrimoine ®
Nesles-la-vallée
Faire demi-tour et reprendre à gauche, l’ancienne voie de chemin de fer. Continuer par l’allée René Florentin jusqu’à l’ancienne gare.
Prochain point : lat="49.129776" lon="2.166893"
In 1610 the manor came into the possession of André de Cassan, squire of Prince de Conti. It was sold in 1688 to Jacques de Santeuil, brother of Jean, canon of Saint Victor's Abbey in Paris and a regular at the Condé court in Chantilly. The manor was modified in the 17th century, before being completely renovated around 1875.
It was the era of the Sun King. In this manor, Jean de Santeuil wrote both secular and religious verses in Latin. He was a member of the “Académie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres” or “Petite Académie”. He wrote, for example, the inscriptions for the fountains of Paris. Legend has it that he would climb the tower for inspiration, finding fresh insight on each floor.
“This pure water has flowed through many sacred places, whoever you may be, drink from it not with impure mouth”
Inscribed on the Grande Chatelet in Paris: “The sword of justice lies here, for the salvation of the just and the guilty to fear”. He was such a remarkable figure that Boileau painted his portrait and La Bruyère satirised him. A sketch by Viollet-le-Duc in his architectural dictionary figures the four machicolations on the tower, the ground floor of which would have been used as an oratory and the top as a lookout.
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