Might this path whisper tales of a time long ago? This is Chemin de Fontenay. It is a place with a past that is both ordinary and extraordinary.
Imagine Fontenay in France, a village nestled in the plains. It is about 25 km north of Paris. The village is in a small valley at the foot of the Châtenay hill. The church’s tall bell tower marks it from afar.
The name Fontenay first appeared in writing in 814. It was then called Fontanicum. The name refers to the three springs. Many individual and communal wells provided drinking water to villagers. Fontenay was officially named Fontenay-en-Parisis in 1904. The village is in the heart of the Pays de France.
Let’s journey back to the church of Saint Aquilin. It sits atop the hill in the village center. This historical monument has been classified since 1886. Its location on a promontory makes it visible from afar. It strongly marks the village’s urban landscape. It measures 42 meters long. The top of its spire reaches 44 meters. The church combines a nave built between 1220 and 1240 with a 13th-century ambulatory choir.
Dedicated in 1451, it honors Saint Vincent. There were vineyards in the area until the 13th century. It is also dedicated to Saint Aquilin. He was the 12th bishop of Évreux in the 7th century. His relics were moved here. A piece of the true cross explains the building’s importance. Fontenay was a large town. Wars of religion and the Fronde ruined it. The plague epidemic in 1694 decimated it. Records show one hundred twenty-nine deaths. But a plaque in the church mentions more than three hundred.
September 14th was the day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. This feast attracted many pilgrims. The church held a relic of the true cross of Jesus Christ. Sadly, it disappeared during the Revolution. The cross had first been brought from Jerusalem in the 13th century. It was later moved to Saint-Cloud. Pilgrims bought beautiful Chantilly silk lace made in the village. After the Revolution, the clergy and nobility disappeared. Lace-making slowed before mechanization ended it in the 19th century.
Until the French Revolution, Fontenay was the main town of a seigneury. Louis XIII raised it to a marquisate in 1637. He thanked François du Val for services to the crown. This marquisate included Mareil-en-France, Jagny-sous-Bois, and Villiers-le-Sec. The Du Val family were candle makers. Germain Du Val was the first Du Val to own the land. He bought it from Jean Balue. Balue was the priest of Saint-Eustache. He was influential at court. He obtained a market every Wednesday and two annual fairs. They were held on September 14th and December 28th.
The village took its present form during the Third Republic. In 1875, the cemetery moved to its current location. In 1884, the town hall and two adjacent classrooms were created. In 1891, the presbytery was in the old town hall. Later, it became a nursery school. It housed the teacher and the guard. It then served as a canteen and a meeting room. Today, it is home to community associations. In 1895, the chestnut tree was planted as a Liberty Tree.
The stream crossing Fontenay was canalized in 1873. It had twice turned the lower part of town into an ice rink. This happened due to flooding followed by severe cold. Fed by the village’s three springs, it flows into the Croult. The Croult then joins the Seine. In the heart of the village, the source of the Three Stones formed a large watering place. Horses drank here on their return from the fields. This is why it was called the horse ford. The spring is still visible today.
Now, as you stand on Chemin de Fontenay, consider the many layers of history beneath your feet. The echoes of pilgrims. The industry of lace makers. The resilience of a village that has survived wars and plagues. They all remain here in the stones and stories of Fontenay.