Motte féodale dite Motte Quiquempoix

Quivering reeds whispered secrets of bygone battles around the Motte féodale dite Motte Quiquempoix. This isn’t just a grassy mound. It’s a ghost of a medieval stronghold. Imagine yourself back in the early 13th century. Gilbert de Bourghelles, a knight in the service of the Counts of Flanders, chose this marshy spot to build his fortified home. The Motte Quiquempoix rose from the wetlands, a symbol of his power and ambition. He even fought alongside Count Ferrand of Portugal at the Battle of Bouvines in 1214 against King Philip Augustus. The strategic location, surrounded by marshes and waterways, offered natural defenses. The surrounding ditches, still visible today, once encircled the motte. They offered protection against attack. The marshes themselves were drained by dug ditches, creating a formidable barrier. The path you walked along actually traces the line of these ancient ditches. The Motte Quiquempoix wasn’t just a residence. It was the heart of a large agricultural estate. Beyond the protective ditches lay the basse-cour, where cattle and sheep grazed. This provided wool, vital to the Flemish economy and cloth production. The basse-cour also housed the dwellings of the peasants, stables, and sheepfolds. The walls of Gilbert’s home are long gone. Yet, archeological excavations starting in 1970 have unearthed fragments of life at the Motte Quiquempoix. They’ve painted a picture of a bustling medieval world. Gilbert de Quiquempoix remains a symbolic figure for Villeneuve-d’Ascq. He’s even joined the ranks of the giants of Nord and Flanders. A reproduction of this medieval lord can be seen at the Château de Flers, the Tourist Office of Villeneuve-d’Ascq. So, as you stand here, let the whispers of the reeds carry you back. Imagine the Motte Quiquempoix in its prime. A testament to the ambition of a medieval knight in the heart of the Flemish landscape.