Le Tortoir, out in the country about 15 miles north of Soissons, is a 14th century fortified Catholic priory
(a religious community — more or less a small abbey, convent, or monastery). It was a dependency of
a nearby abbey that had been founded several centuries earlier by Philippe 1er, who was king
of the Franks for 48 years (1060-1108). Only ruins of that abbey remain today.
a nearby abbey that had been founded several centuries earlier by Philippe 1er, who was king
of the Franks for 48 years (1060-1108). Only ruins of that abbey remain today.
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2
Le Tortoir is a small compound made up of a residential building, a chapel, and a big mysterious barn of a building.
The property is closed in by buildings on two sides and walls on the two other sides — here's an aerial view.
It's not open to the public (il ne se visite pas). Nowadays it's privately owned. CHM and I stopped there
to take photos after spending a few hours in Soissons in June 2011.
2Le Tortoir is a small compound made up of a residential building, a chapel, and a big mysterious barn of a building.
The property is closed in by buildings on two sides and walls on the two other sides — here's an aerial view.
It's not open to the public (il ne se visite pas). Nowadays it's privately owned. CHM and I stopped there
to take photos after spending a few hours in Soissons in June 2011.
3This is a large-format composite image I created by stitching together two separate photos.
The building on the right in this image is the one you see in photos #4 and #5 below.
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5
Nobody knows what the large barn of a building at Le Tortoir was used for. It might have housed a leper colony,
or it might have been a refectory and dormitory for guests visiting the priory. It was probably built early in
the 14th century. It measures 28 meters (92 ft) by 10 meters (32 ft). At the time of the French Revolution,
when properties owned by the clergy were privatized, Le Tortoir was sold to a farming family who lived
there for about 100 years. In 1925, after the priory complex was bought by a Belgian company,
the big old barn was used as stables. The windows were filled in to reinforce the structure.
All this detailed but sketchy information is in the French Wikipédia article about Le Tortoir.
5Nobody knows what the large barn of a building at Le Tortoir was used for. It might have housed a leper colony,
or it might have been a refectory and dormitory for guests visiting the priory. It was probably built early in
the 14th century. It measures 28 meters (92 ft) by 10 meters (32 ft). At the time of the French Revolution,
when properties owned by the clergy were privatized, Le Tortoir was sold to a farming family who lived
there for about 100 years. In 1925, after the priory complex was bought by a Belgian company,
the big old barn was used as stables. The windows were filled in to reinforce the structure.
All this detailed but sketchy information is in the French Wikipédia article about Le Tortoir.
How nice! I’m reliving with you that trip down memory lane heading now to Saint-Quentin (?).
ReplyDeleteThat priory seen through the frondaisons was lovely.
I just revised the first part of this post. You might want to read through it again. Walt found some text in it that I needed to change.
DeleteTo tell you the truth, I don’t remember what you said in the old version, but I think you mentioned Laon.
DeleteHave you read Pillars Of the Earth? There is a priory in the story that is a main part of the goings on (1100s). That's what this reminds me of, so it's cool to see. BBC also did a pretty good miniseries of the book.
ReplyDeleteNo, I haven't read that book, Judy. Haven't seen the miniseries either.
DeleteI read Ken Follett immediately when he releases a new book! Those 2 books in the series were so long that I had to keep the page number on my refrigerator as a bookmark for when my name came up again at the library to check it out again! Salisbury Cathedrale in England also has a Priory, I believe. Le Trotoir is new for me.
DeleteToo bad they filled in the windows to the barn structure. Maybe it will be restored one day. Looks like an attractive structure.
ReplyDeleteApparently, there was a plan to open up the windows again in the 1930s. Then along came WWII.
DeleteLaon was a couple of days later.
ReplyDelete