Boissy-l’Aillerie sits quietly. It is a village with a story etched into its very soil. Today, we will discover some of its secrets.
Boissy-l’Aillerie is a French commune. It lies in the Val-d’Oise department. This is in the Île-de-France region. The approximately 2,114 inhabitants are called Buxériens.
Boissy-l’Aillerie is a village. It is located in the Viosne valley. It sits in the French Vexin. It’s near Cergy-Pontoise. Boissy-l’Aillerie is about 35 km northwest of Paris.
The commune is part of the Vexin Français Regional Natural Park. It is located 35 km northwest of Paris. It is easily accessible by the A15 motorway.
The territory of Boissy-l’Aillerie covers 563 hectares. It lies in the Viosne valley. The Viosne is a small river. Boissy-l’Aillerie is part of the Canton of Pontoise. It belongs to the Communauté de Communes “Val de Viosne”. It is also part of the Parc Naturel Régional du Vexin Français.
The town has a rich history. The oldest traces are the Jules César road and a Roman spring. In 1071, the village was given to the abbey of Saint-Denis. Boissy-l’Aillerie was the first fortified bastion of Pontoise. It was on a strategic road from Beauvais to the Seine. The village had nine towers and four gates.
The Sainte André church is a highlight. It dates back to the fourth, twelfth and nineteenth centuries. The church is listed as a historical monument. Also worth seeing is the Manoir de Réal and its tower.
Let’s talk a little bit about the Sainte André church. The church occupies the site of a Gallo-Roman temple. This temple was dedicated to Cybèle. The first Christian sanctuary was built under Nicaise de Rouen. Jean d’Ivry gave the church to the abbey of Saint-Denis in 1071. A new church was built in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. But it was almost destroyed in 1433. The Anglo-Normans burned it down. However, the north wall and some interior elements remained.
The church was rebuilt in 1463. In 1691, it passed to the Maison royale de Saint-Louis. In 1781, lightning struck the bell tower. It collapsed fifteen years later. The church remained in ruins for thirty years. The choir was rebuilt between 1848 and 1850. The nave was abandoned.
Today, the church has a nave and two side aisles. The exterior has flying buttresses. The interior features high arcades and a triforium. These run the length of the building.
The Manoir de Réal is another remarkable building in Boissy-l’Aillerie. All its lands were bought by Pierre de Guillon. He was the steward of Henri Ier de Bourbon-Condé. He transformed the manor in 1587. The current manor is a rectangular building. It has two to three levels. Four round towers give the building character.
Boissy-l’Aillerie offers a blend of history and nature. The Viosne valley adds to its charm. The commune’s commitment to preserving its heritage is evident.