Informations directionnelles

Continuer la RD 130 en direction de Gargenville / Juziers. Attention cette route est assez circulante, pour votre sécurité, restez bien sur le bas coté gauche. A l’entrée du hameau de la Chartre vous trouvez la Fontaine Saint-Gaucher (3). Continuer jusqu’au premier carrefour, prendre à gauche la rue de Oinville jusqu’au lavoir de la Chartre (4).

Saint-Laurent Stele
The reminder of a Benedictine monastery above the village

 

 

The long history of a convent of men …

This stele comes from the ruins of a Benedictine monastery founded in the eleventh century, mentioned in 1141 in a papal bull issued by Pope Eugene III and again in 1252 under the name of Saint-Laurent-de-Conservin. The building was enclosed by walls and had a small chapel dedicated to the Holy Saviour. It was mainly agricultural: complete with a farm, a garden, arable land, meadows and a pond! In 1791, like all religious buildings, the convent closed its doors by decision of the Convention and its assets were sold off. It became a farm in its own right in the nineteenth century. The remains of the chapel and monastery buildings still exist in the current farm buildings located about a kilometre from here on the road to Guitrancourt. These elements represent twelfth century French monastic architecture in Vexin.

 

 

…devoted to Saint Benedict

The Benedictine Order was founded in 529 by St. Benedict of Nursia. He describes the ideal monastery thus: “The monastery should, if possible, be so constructed that within it all necessities, such as water, mill and garden are contained, and the various crafts are practiced. Then there will be no need for the monks to roam outside, because this is not at all good for their souls”.