The church, estate, monument and paths offer different insights into Longperrier’s local history. The time span ranges from the founding of the Église Sainte-Madeleine around 1185 to buildings and places of remembrance from the 19th century. Those interested in architecture and local history will find specific points of interest here, each of which can be considered on its own.
The Église Sainte-Madeleine and its architecture
The Église Sainte-Madeleine was founded around 1185 by the Counts of Dammartin-en-Goële. Its defining architectural features include a square bell tower and a polygonal apse. The choir has a three-sided end, with a large axial window providing another architectural detail. The different forms can be viewed together in one building without treating them as belonging to a single construction phase.
The church also contains a stone tabernacle from the 15th century. This brings together two distinct points in time: the church’s founding in the 12th century and a furnishing added several centuries later. For a visit focused on cultural history, the Église Sainte-Madeleine offers a look both at the building’s form and at a specific object inside.
Monument and traces of the estate
The François-Noblat Monument commemorates the shooting of the mayor in 1870. It was erected at the site of the event on 21 September 1890. The time between the event and the monument’s construction is part of its history: it marks not only a historical event but also its later commemoration in public.
Further traces of the historic estate of Chaalis Abbey can be found on Rue de Maincourt. Three 17th-century pillars once supported two adjacent gates to the estate. The historic ensemble also includes the 19th-century town hall and agricultural buildings arranged around a courtyard. These buildings were renovated and converted into rental apartments. The pillars and later structures thus point to different periods in the estate’s history; the converted buildings now serve as rental apartments.
Another former public building stands on Rue du Vivier: in the former town hall and school building, the school was on the ground floor and the town hall on the upper floor. This layout illustrates the building’s former use without requiring us to assume another period or a present-day function.
Paths, fountains and the Calvaire
The 19th-century Calvaire de Longperrier stands at a crossroads where five paths meet. It may have served as a stop during processions. This interpretation remains uncertain; the monument, its date and its location at the crossroads are among the features that are reliably recorded.
The fountain on Rue du Hamel also has historical significance for the town: for decades, it was the center of the hamlet of La Russie in Longperrier. The Chemin du Gazon connects the two ends of the village and passes through an area that was once home to orchards. The path and the fountain thus tell different local stories: one of a former landscape, the other of life in a hamlet.
An event on rural paths
The Foulées Vertes Longperroises is an annual event. Its course follows rural paths in the surrounding area. This sets it apart from the town’s historic sites: here, an outdoor event takes center stage, while the church, estate and monuments tell stories of architectural history and former uses. As the route may vary from one edition to another, it is advisable to check it before travelling.
In Longperrier, architectural forms, places of remembrance and traces in the landscape can be explored as different aspects of a stay. The Église Sainte-Madeleine offers details of architecture and furnishings; Rue de Maincourt and Rue du Vivier preserve clues to former uses; paths, fountains and the Calvaire add a perspective on local and landscape history. Which of these themes shapes your stay depends on whether you are most interested in religious architecture, historic buildings or the paths and local gathering places that have been preserved over time.
Discover more destinations: Lizines, Rebais, Bassevelle, Cerneux, Ferrières-En-Brie, Choisy-en-Brie, Boissise-La-Bertrand, Faremoutiers
For the broader travel overview: Seine-Et-Marne.
