Informations directionnelles

Descendre le chemin, traverser la D983. Continuer tout droit jusqu’à la rue Robert-Guesnier. Prendre à droite sur environ 700 mètres. Passer à côté du château Gueptant. A l’intersection, prendre à gauche dans la rue Bernard-Dauchez, puis un peu plus loin encore à gauche rue de la Plaine, puis tout de suite à droite dans la rue de la Croix d’Estréez.

Rich architectural and natural heritage

 

 

Once Bercagny, now Saint-Gervais

In 386, Saint Amboise found the relics of Saint Gervais and Saint Protais, two martyred Christian brothers, in Milan. Some of these relics were entrusted to the diocese of Rouen, which has a church and parish dedicated to Saint Gervais. In 841, when the vikings began to raid Normandy, the prior decided to send the relics to Pontoise to protect them. En route, he stopped at Bercagny and, touched by the warm welcome of the villagers, he left part of the treasure in their care, making Bercagny a place of pilgrimage. It began to be called the parish of Saint-Gervais and the name Bercagny fell gradually out of use. The new name was made official by the church when the village was made a parish in 1139.

 

 

The urbanisation of the village

The town of Saint-Gervais is made up of a village centre and five hamlets: Magnitot, Ducourt, Archemont, Estréez and the Petit-Saint Gervais. Two previous hamlets are now gone: Chaud-Soleil, between Archemont and Magnitot, and Vaux-de-Bray, near Gisors road. The rhythm of the landscape is interrupted by the regional road RD14.

The old centre of Saint-Gervais was built high up on a spur overlooking the Aubette stream valley, along the Chaussée Jules César. Rural buildings were built on the edge of the plateau, near the crops. 18th century rural buildings stand alongside 21st century urban architecture. In the 1886 survey, six quarries were mentioned, later becoming mushroom farms which have all since fallen into disuse, last one closing in 1999.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Villa Marguerite overtook the church tower as the highest building in the village. The town centre, dotted with isolated trees, thickets, orchids and on the edge, hedgerows, remains leafy and green.