Longperrier

In the heart of France, Longperrier whispers tales of time. The very name, Longperrier, holds a dual mystery. Does it mean “long stone” in Latin, a nod to the gypsum slabs once quarried here? Or does it refer to a “long pear tree”? Longperrier sits about 45 km from Paris, nestled next to Dammartin-en-Goële. This charming commune is part of a traditional region known as Goële. Longperrier’s church, founded around 1185 by the Counts of Dammartin-en-Goële, is dedicated to Saint Madeleine. The church boasts a distinctive square bell tower, a polygonal apse, and a three-sided chevet with a large central window. Inside, you’ll discover vast stained-glass windows, a 15th-century stone tabernacle, a tombstone from 1636, a 17th-century painted panel, and painted wooden statuettes. The land of Longperrier is divided into several domains. These domains’ names live on in the main streets of Longperrier. The heart of the village seems to be the Maincourt domain. It was owned by the lords of Chambly at the start of the 14th century. In 1666, Louis II de Bourbon, Prince of Condé, acquired the domain. He quickly traded it with Chaalis Abbey for the Commelles ponds near Chantilly. On January 7, 1791, the deputy Louis-Michel Lepeletier de Saint-Fargeau bought the Maincourt domain. After his death, the Revenaz family purchased it. The Vivier domain, once owned by the Count of Dammartin and later by the du Maine family and Mr. de Vassan, was sold to the Collinet brothers in 1772. The Sainte-Beuve family gradually acquired all the farms. The Lucet, Bardez, and Thuillier farms remain, as the only ones still in operation. The less fertile lands north of the village were cultivated by small landowners. In the early sixties, agricultural activities gradually ceased. Houses were built on land bought by residents of the Paris region. The urbanization program in the second half of the 20th century quadrupled Longperrier’s population. This growth transformed the landscape and added another layer to the story of Longperrier.