Saint-Martin-du-Tertre

Gazing up at Saint-Martin-du-Tertre, can you imagine a time before electricity, when messages travelled not by wire, but by light? Here, upon this hilltop in 1793, Claude Chappe conducted trials of his optical telegraph system, a precursor to modern communication. Saint-Martin-du-Tertre boasts a rich history, interwoven with religious and aristocratic influences. The village’s name, first recorded in 1170 as “Sanctus Martinus de Colle,” hints at its early connection to a chapel dedicated to Saint Martin. Originally a pagan place of worship, the site was later Christianized. The village’s location on a “tertre,” or hill, offered refuge to those fleeing the barbarian invasions. They abandoned their ravaged homes in the valley below, seeking safety near the feudal mound on this elevated land. The Abbey of Saint-Denis held considerable influence here. Charlemagne granted the abbey the villa of Luzarches and its surrounding lands, including Franconville-au-Bois. This charter, dated 775, placed Saint-Martin and Franconville under the abbey’s jurisdiction. The history of Saint-Martin-du-Tertre is also marked by the powerful d’O family. They held the primary seigneury of Franconville from the 15th to the 17th centuries. Jacques d’O, superintendent of finances and close friend of King Henri III, is a notable figure in the village’s aristocratic past. The d’O family’s lion emblem is even reflected in the current coat of arms of Saint-Martin-du-Tertre. A long-standing legal dispute between the Abbey of Saint-Denis and the d’O family over control of Saint-Martin ultimately ended in the d’O family’s favor. Intriguingly, the dispute was fueled by a jealous lawyer. Centuries later, Saint-Martin-du-Tertre became a site of scientific innovation with Chappe’s optical telegraph experiments. This strategic location provided the ideal vantage point for his groundbreaking work. Today, the village crest commemorates these tests with a silhouette of Chappe’s telegraph. Saint-Martin-du-Tertre remains a place of historical significance. From its ancient pagan roots to its aristocratic past and its role in the birth of modern communication, the layers of history here are truly captivating.