The Tuf de la Celle rises more than 20 metres above the Seine and is a sensitive natural area open to the public. A 100-metre circular trail takes visitors through the site. On an educational walk, rocks and geological deposits offer insights into the fauna and flora of 400,000 years ago, as well as the settlement of the site by Homo heidelbergensis. Here, a short nature trail meets a far-reaching view of the history of the Earth and humankind.
Natural Areas and Trails
The “Autour du Mont Vernou-La Celle” circular trail is signposted and marked in yellow by CODERANDO77. It alternates between woodland and open-field sections, leads to the municipality’s various hamlets and into the valley of the ru Flavien. Unlike the 100-metre circular trail at the Tuf, the focus here is not on a single natural area, but on the changing landscapes and hamlets. Check the trail conditions before setting out.
Mills, Fortifications and Châteaux
In the Vallée des Moulins, the waters of the ru Flavien powered the mills. A map from 1785 shows seven mills there. They remained in operation until the end of the 19th century or the beginning of the 20th century. The map offers a glimpse of the mills in 1785; their operating period extended into a later era. This distinction brings together a specific point in time and the valley’s longer history of use.
The first fortification on the grounds of the Domaine du château de Graville was built around 1235. Construction of a new château began there in 1580. The two dates mark widely separated building phases: they tell the story of an early fortification and a later château, not a single starting point for construction.
Two estates are partially protected as historic monuments, and their protected areas cover different features. At the Château de Beaurepaire, protection includes the château’s façades and roofs, the outbuildings, the entrance gate with its pavilions and wall, and the dovecote. At the Domaine d’Argeville, it includes the park, the outbuildings, the boundary wall, the small gate to the farm and the entrance gate.
Sacred Heritage
Relics of Saint Fortuné, including relics of his head, are kept in the church of Vernou. The church of Saint-Fortunat houses a 17th-century polychrome wooden reliquary bust of Saint Fortuné. The church of La Celle-sur-Seine contains a 14th-century cross depicting Christ on the cross. The cross and the reliquary bust represent different periods of sacred art; the relics also bear witness to the veneration of Saint Fortuné.
Discover more destinations: Faremoutiers, Bouleurs, Collégien, Rozay-en-Brie, Chamigny, Jossigny, Soignolles-en-Brie, Marne-La-Vallée.
For the broader travel overview: Seine-Et-Marne.
