Ermenonville, and after having proceeded about 1,200 yards, go down the
lane which leads, under the trees, to the entrance of the domain which
constituted the ancient abbey of =Châalis=._
=CHÂALIS=
At the very beginning of the twelfth century, on his return from the
First Crusade, a lord of Mello founded a priory at _Calisium_. In 1136
the king, Louis le Gros, wishing to honour the memory of his brother,
Charles le Bon, who was assassinated in Bruges, transformed this priory
into an abbey which was placed under the management of the Order of
Cîteaux, whose growing power was beginning to make itself felt.
The Abbey flourished under the protection of the kings of France, the
bishops of Senlis, and the lords of Chantilly, and became of great
importance.
Its present condition can only give a faint idea of its former
disposition and size.
The good king St. Louis often came to share the peaceful life of the
monks, cultivating the soil and the vine, looking after the bees,
fishing for pike in the ponds, and eating in the common refectory out
of a wooden bowl, amidst the tame birds that came from all the country
around to join in the meals.
At the time of the Renaissance the Abbey fell in commendam, that is
to say it was no longer the property of the community but that of the
abbot, who was thenceforth chosen by the king, instead of being elected
by the monks. The first commendatory abbot was the Cardinal Hippolyte
d'Este, son of Lucretia Borgia. Reducing the monks to a bare pittance,
the Cardinal made free use of the Abbey revenues, which enabled him to
build his famous Villa d'Este at Tivoli and its magnificent gardens.
In 1570, the great Italian poet Tasso spent several months at Châalis
and there worked at his _Jerusalem Delivered_.
[Illustration: RUINS OF THE ABBEY CHURCH]
In the eighteenth century, the reconstruction of the Abbey was
undertaken. Jean Aubert, the architect of the "Grandes Écuries" at
Chantilly and the Hôtel Biron in Paris, was entrusted with the plans.
The work was begun but not completed. The abbatial building, which
to-day contains the museum and which can be seen on the left of the
beautiful avenue leading to the entrance gate, shows the dignified
style that Aubert wished to apply to the new edifice.
All these works ran the abbey into debt so Louis XVI. had it closed
and placed in liquidation. The Revolution completed its ruin. Sold as
national property, Châalis greatly suffered.
The buildings were for the greater part destroyed, the old church was
sold piecemeal at the rate of twelve sous (6_d._) per cartful of stones.
In the nineteenth century the successive proprietors did their utmost
to reconstitute the domain. The grounds were bought back and the ruins
consolidated. The abbatial building became a castle, and the park was
laid out again. In 1902, Mme. Jacquemart-André bought the estate for
1,200,000 francs. She bequeathed it to the "Institut de France" with
the museum that she had established in the castle. The "Institut" took
possession of it in 1912, at the donor's death.
+The Church.+
The church, built at the beginning of the eighteenth century, is of
great interest from an archæological point of view, for it shows
the first application (by the Cistercians) of the Gothic style of
architecture which had just made its appearance in the "Ile de
France." In the hundreds of abbeys created by the original abbey of
Cîteaux (situated near Dijon), the Roman style had hitherto held sway.
Beginning with Châalis, the Cistercians proceeded to spread the pointed
arch all over Europe, where soon more than 1,800 branch abbeys were
scattered.
The church of Châalis was vast, measuring 269 feet by 89 feet.
Its transept (the ruins of the northern part are seen in the view on
the preceding page) was remarkable for its enormous size, compared
with that of the choir, and for the seven radial chapels--one of
which is clearly visible on the right of the view--enclosed in each
of its branches. An outline of the nave remains (on the left of the
photograph); it had twelve bays, preceded by a porch. The steeple which
rose from the tower was destroyed by lightning in the seventeenth
century. The monastery was connected with the church, and the outline
of the storied galleries is seen in the view below. The abbot's chapel
appears in the middle distance, on the right of the view on the
preceding page. It is designed in the style of the Sainte-Chapelle in
Paris.
[Illustration: RUINS OF THE CHURCH SEEN FROM THE ROUTE DES ÉTANGS]
+Visit to the Domain of Châalis.+
_From April 15 to November 1, the museum and park are open on Thursday
afternoons, from 1 p.m. to 5 or 6 p.m. An interesting guide by the
Curator, Louis Gillet, is sold for 2 francs._
For the passing motorist the visit in detail is not indispensable. The
Museum, although interesting, is far from equal to that which Mme.
Jacquemart André established in her house in the Boulevard Haussmann,
Paris, and which she bequeathed to the "Institut" at the same time as
Châalis. As far as concerns the park and ruins, an adequate idea of
them will be obtained by following our itinerary.
From the entrance gate one sees: in front, the ruins of the church;
to the left, the castle, containing the museum. The whole is quite
imposing.
_At a moderate pace we take the road (on the right of the gate) which
leads to the ponds. After traversing them, through the enchanting
scenery, of which the photograph below gives some idea, the road runs
through woodlands and brings us back to the high road of Ermenonville,
down which we turn to the left._
On the other side of this road spreads the second portion of the
domain of Châalis: the Désert, which formerly belonged to the park
of Ermenonville. In the neighbourhood of this park it consists of a
lovely, wooded landscape, with two ponds in the background; but at the
other extremity there is a great contrast, for an arid stretch of land,
the "Sea of Sand," faces the ponds of Châalis.
The Désert, like the park of Ermenonville, teems with memories of
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (_see p. 73_).
_Skirting the ponds of the Désert we arrive at =Ermenonville= (40 km.)._
The castle, which belongs to Prince Radzivill, is on the left of the
road (_it is not open to visitors_). The park (_open to the public on
Sundays, Thursdays and holidays_) is on the right.
The castle was occupied in September 1914, by German staff officers,
who contented themselves with pillaging the wine cellar.
[Illustration: A CORNER OF THE PONDS OF CHÂALIS]
The park of Ermenonville was designed by the Marquis de Girardin.
This ardent disciple of J. J. Rousseau did his utmost to make the
park an illustration of the philosopher's work. In the part which now
pertains to Châalis, the Désert, he claimed to reproduce in miniature
the Alpine landscapes where were laid the scenes of _Julie ou la
Nouvelle Héloise_. This touching worship succeeded in dispelling the
misanthropy of Rousseau, who was living in Paris in gloomy solitude.
He accepted the Marquis's hospitality and settled down at Ermenonville
on May 20, 1778. On July 2, the "man of nature" passed away amidst
trees, flowers, and birds. He was buried in the Island of Poplars
("L'Ile des Peupliers," view below), in the middle of the pond that
comes into view on the right of the road level with the centre of the
castle. Rousseau's influence on his century was immense, and for a long
time his tomb was the goal of universal pilgrimage. The philosopher's
remains are no longer at Ermenonville; the Convention had them exhumed
and transferred to the Panthéon.
[Illustration: TOMB OF J. J. ROUSSEAU AT ERMENONVILLE]
_Cross the village, leaving the statue of J. J. Rousseau on the left,
and when at the top of the hill turn to the left. Four kilometres
further on is the Plessis-Belleville School of Aviation. From there go
straight on._
_At =Saint-Soupplets=, at the branching off of the road with that
of Dammartin (54 km.)_, stands the Belle-Idée Inn, which was the
scene of an interesting exploit in September, 1914. A German officer
and about fifteen men had stayed in the inn after the evacuation of
Saint-Soupplets, when a French patrol, composed of Sergeant Vannerot
and six men, entered. The officer immediately fired at the sergeant,
but missed. The latter then trans-pierced him with a bayonet thrust,
and the rest of the German troop were killed or put to flight.
_At Penchard (61½ km.) turn to the left beyond the town-hall. The road
descends towards Meaux, giving a beautiful view of the town, dominated
by its cathedral. In Meaux we turn to the left to go under the bridge
and arrive at the cathedral (65 km.) (see plan inserted pp. 74-75)._
MEAUX
(See plan inserted between pp. 74-75)
ORIGIN AND MAIN HISTORICAL EVENTS
Meaux was the centre of a little Gallic nation: the _Meldi_--the
inhabitants of Meaux are called Meldois--and afterwards the capital of
Brie. It was joined to the royal domain in 1284.
Religious life was always very active in Meaux: six assemblies of
prelates were held there from the ninth to the thirteenth centuries,
and two in the sixteenth century.
It was the Treaty of Meaux, in 1229, which put an end to the crusade
against the Albigeois. At the time of the Reformation the religious
wars in that region became extremely violent. In the seventeenth
century the diocese became famous on account of its bishop, Bossuet,
who was called the Eagle of Meaux.
The town was taken and set on fire several times in the course of its
troubled history.
In 1358, the peasants in revolt, who were called the _Jacques_, were
cut to pieces below the walls by the French and English nobles.
MEAUX IN 1914
Happier now than in 1814 and 1870, Meaux escaped in September, 1914,
the horrors of invasion; and it was only crossed by some German
patrols. A few shells fell in the Faubourg Saint-Nicolas and even in
the neighbourhood of the cathedral, but no serious damage was done.
The British troops in retreat crossed the town on September 2 and 3 and
blew up the Market bridge (_view below_) also the foot-bridge, further
down stream. The floating wash-houses, which might have served as
pontoons, had already been sunk.
Thirteen thousand out of the 14,000 inhabitants left Meaux with the
civilian authorities. The bishop, Mgr. Marbeau, showed great energy
in organising help for those who remained in the town and for the
wounded that poured in after September 5. In spite of the abnormal
circumstances, a _Te Deum_ was sung in the cathedral for the election
of the Pope Benoît XV.
[Illustration: MARKET BRIDGE AND WASH-HOUSES (Sept. 1914)]
[Illustration: MEAUX]
VISIT TO THE TOWN
=St.-Stephen's Cathedral= (historical monument)
_Beautiful panorama is visible from the top of the belfry. To visit,
apply to the verger (gratuity)._
[Illustration: CATHEDRAL OF MEAUX]
The building of the cathedral was begun at the end of the twelfth
century and continued until the sixteenth. It has just been completely
restored.
The left tower, the only one completed, has no spire. That on the right
is called the Black Tower, because of its covering of slates. The
façade is in the decorated Gothic style. A beautiful rose window in the
middle dominates the three doorways.
The middle doorway and that on the right are surmounted by acute
triangular gablets; that on the left, of a more obtuse ogive, is placed
under an arch in accolade. The church is preceded by a parvis dating
from 1610, which is reached by means of eight steps.
The stone used in the present building has, unfortunately, very little
resistance and is weather-worn. In the course of the revolutions
witnessed by the old cathedral, mutilations were added to the damage
caused by weather.
The three rows of statuettes which adorn each porch are much spoilt, as
are the bas-reliefs which decorate the tympanum.
The great statues which filled the niches have disappeared.
[Illustration: THE MARNE AT MEAUX]
[Illustration: THE LIONS' DOORWAY (Cathedral)]
_After having viewed the west façade, the tourist, keeping to the right
of the cathedral, should go and look at the_ +Lions' Doorway+, which is
on the south front.
This thirteenth century doorway, restored in the nineteenth by
Viollet-le-Duc, takes its name from the gargoyles, representing lions,
which flank it. It is a reproduction of the southern doorway of
Notre-Dame de Paris.
_Entering the Cathedral by the Lions' Doorway_, the tourist will be
struck by the lightness and richness of the decoration of the interior,
which has been subjected to extensive restoration.
The great height of the aisles is noticeable. It is explained by the
existence, in the original church, of vaulted galleries which were
raised above the aisles, as in Senlis and Notre-Dame de Paris. These
galleries disappeared in the great transformations which took place
at the end of the twelfth century and the aisles therefore remained
notably super-elevated.
[Illustration: VIEW OF THE NAVE OF THE CATHEDRAL]
The +Tomb of the "Eagle of Meaux"+ is in the choir, on the right,
marked by a tablet of black marble.
The +PULPIT+ (see on the right in the opposite view) was made from
some of the panels from the old pulpit where preached the great
Bossuet. The bishop of Meaux, in spite of his cares at court, worked
very energetically in his diocese and preached in the cathedral many
sermons with that same inspiration that shone through the magnificent
discourses delivered, during his career as a preacher, before the royal
audience.
He maintained strict discipline among the clergy and religious orders
under his jurisdiction. His contests with the Abbess of Jouarre went as
far as a forcible seizure of the abbey buildings.
[Illustration: TRANSEPT AND CHOIR OF CATHEDRAL]
The opposite view shows the further end of the +TRANSEPT+, to which
corresponds the Lions' Door on the exterior. The decoration here is
particularly rich.
Above the transept rose a beautiful spire in timber-work covered
with lead, but as it was in a very precarious condition it was found
necessary to demolish it in 1640.
On the left of the view one sees the commencement of the +CHOIR+, the
execution of which shows to what heights of lightness and boldness of
construction Gothic architecture had arrived. The walls between the
piers are hollowed out by piercings and mouldings; it is a miracle of
equilibrium.
Originally the choir had only three chapels, but two intermediary
chapels were added in the fourteenth century.
_When making the tour of the choir_ the visitor will see opening on the
north into the courtyard of the old chapter house the beautiful +Porte
Maugarni+, dating from the fifteenth century. The name of Maugarni (a
gaolbird hanged on this spot in 1372, by order of the bailiff of Meaux)
came down to posterity by reason of the long lawsuit that the chapter
of the cathedral brought against the bailiff because of this execution,
carried out in ecclesiastical precincts.
[Illustration: PORTE MAUGARNI (Cathedral)]
Almost directly in front of the Porte Maugarni, with its back to the
choir, is a white marble statue representing the kneeling figure of
a young knight, Philippe de Castille. In 1603 his father founded the
barefoot order of Notre-Dame-de-la-Merci. The statue comes from the
church belonging to the convent of that order.
Beside the door is a stone figure of Christ, of the sixteenth century.
One can also see in the second chapel, beyond the great doorway in the
north aisle of the nave, the group (in high relief) of the Visitation
(seventeenth century) and the picture of the Adoration of the Wise Men,
attributed to Philippe de Champaigne. The symmetrical chapel, on the
south, contains the tombstone of Jean Rose and his wife. Jean Rose was
one of the great bourgeois of Meaux in the fourteenth century. His name
was given to one of the boulevards of the town.
At the entrance to the nave the seventeenth century organ is supported
by beautiful arcading.
[Illustration: BOSSUET'S MONUMENT (Cathedral)]
+Bossuet's Monument+, the work of the sculptor Dubois (1907), stands in
the north aisle, near the main entrance.
At the foot of the pedestal, on the right, are represented Turenne
and Mlle. de Lavallière, converted by Bossuet: Mlle. de Lavallière
appears in the garb of a nun. It will be remembered how, after Mme. de
Montespan had replaced her in the favour of the king, Louis XIV., she
withdrew to the convent of the Carmelites, under the name of Sister
Louise de la Miséricorde. On the left are Henrietta of France, queen of
England, whose funeral oration was delivered by the "Eagle of Meaux,"
and the Dauphin, whose tutor Bossuet had been.
Behind the pedestal is a bust of the Great Condé. Bossuet was his
friend, and frequently visited him in his beautiful castle of
Chantilly, and often received him at the Bishop's Palace. His death
inspired the "Eagle of Meaux" with one of his most magnificent funeral
orations.
=The Old Chapter House= (historical monument)
[Illustration: THE OLD CHAPTER HOUSE]
_Leaving the cathedral by the west door one walks into the courtyard
of the bishop's palace, the entrance to which is on the right of the
square._ At the further end of the courtyard is the old Chapter House.
This old dwelling-place of the canons of the cathedral dates from the
thirteenth century, and is in course of restoration. Its curious,
covered outside staircase, which is well seen in the opposite view, is
well known to archæologists.
We have seen already, in the case of the Porte Maugarni, how vehemently
the canons defended their prerogatives.
The Old Bishop's Palace
The old bishop's palace, the courtyard front of which faces the
cathedral, dates from the twelfth century, and was altered in the
sixteenth and seventeenth. On the ground floor are two fine vaulted
twelfth century rooms. An inclined plane leads to the second floor.
According to tradition, one of the bishops had it made that he might go
up to his rooms without dismounting from his mule.
[Illustration: THE OLD BISHOP'S PALACE]
Amongst the first-floor rooms are those of Marie-Antoinette and the
king. Meaux was in fact a halting place for Louis XVI. and the royal
family on their return from Varennes.
The king's room was also occupied by Napoléon I. when he came back from
the Russian campaign.
The town of Meaux is now establishing a museum in the buildings of the
bishop's palace.
The north front looks over a pretty garden, laid out by Le Nôtre
_(to be seen on Thursdays and Sundays. On other days apply to the
lodge-keeper in the entrance courtyard. Gratuity.)_
At the end of the garden, on the ramparts dating from the Middle Ages,
is a terrace. It is reached by a covered staircase placed at the
north-east angle. From there one has a beautiful view of the garden,
the bishop's palace and the cathedral (_view above_).
On the terrace stands a little pavilion known as +Bossuet's Study+. The
great bishop liked to work there, and often, by way of relaxation, took
a walk along an avenue of fine yew trees on the ramparts near by.
The Old Mills
_After visiting the bishop's palace we go through the Rue Martimprey to
the banks of the Marne._
The view is extremely picturesque; on one side are the mills which dam
the river; on the other, is the beautiful +Promenade des Trinitaires+,
with its old poplars. The mills shown in the view below were rebuilt in
the sixteenth century. The other side of the buildings looks on to the
market bridge (_view p. 74_). These buildings, in spite of their age,
withstood the blowing up of the bridge in 1914.
Slightly downstream are the modern mills of l'Échelle, which replaced
mills similar to those of the market bridge, burnt in 1843.
[Illustration: OLD MILLS]
VISIT
to the
OURCQ BATTLEFIELD
(September 5 to 9, 1914)
=FROM MEAUX TO MARCILLY= (28 km.)
(See plan inserted between pp. 78-79)
via +Chauconin+, +Neufmontiers+, +Monthyon+, +Penchard+, +Chambry+,
+Barcy+.
_Start from Meaux in front of the cathedral. Go down the Rue
Saint-Rémy, pass under the railway bridge, then turn to the left and
take the N 3 for about 2 km. Turn to the right in front of a beetroot
factory and follow the road planted with plane trees which leads to
+Chauconin+ (4 km.)._
After having a peep at the little country church, we take a few steps
along the path shown in the view below. The houses which border it
still show traces of the incendiary fires of September, 1914. The
Germans occupied the village for a few hours on the 5th, just long
enough to pillage the dwellings and partly burn them by means of
grenades flung on to the roofs, and sticks of resin thrust under the
doors.
_Having crossed the village, we have before us the buildings and high
chimney of Proffit Farm, situated at =Neufmontiers=. Take the road
which leads to it._ On reaching the level of the farm, some +French and
German graves+ (_of which a view is given on p. 81_) will be seen to
the right of the road.
[Illustration: BURNT HOUSES AT CHAUCONIN]
The German grave is on the left, isolated. It is marked by a black
cross on which is painted the letter A. In the background can be
distinguished the wooded heights of Penchard, in the conquest of which
fell the French and Moroccan soldiers here buried.
[Illustration]
[Illustration: GRAVES AT NEUFMONTIERS]
* * * * *
[Illustration: PROFFIT FARM BURNT BY THE GERMANS]
In front of the graves is one of the entrances of +Proffit Farm+. The
view opposite shows a part of the courtyard. This fine farmstead had
been marked down and condemned in advance.
The Germans had themselves specially guided there from Chauconin. They
looted the farmer's house: near the safe was found one of the skeleton
keys with which they tried to force it.
They then fired the stables and barns, where nearly 20,000 bundles of
straw made a gigantic blaze.
_Skirting the walls of the farm, the road leads to_ the +Church+,
where the Germans installed an ambulance during their short occupation
of September 5. The inhabitants who remained in the village were
commandeered and had to carry in the German wounded, on ladders, from
the surrounding neighbourhood.
On the morning of the 6th the French re-occupied Neufmontiers and
captured the ambulance (_view below_).
[Illustration: GERMAN AMBULANCE IN THE CHURCH]
_Running between Proffit Farm and the church, the road slopes down to
the brook le Rutel, which it crosses. At the fork of the road, turn
to the right. A hundred yards further on is the spot from which the
+Panorama A+ seen below_ (6½ km.) was taken, embracing the field of
action of September 5.
[Illustration:
Road to Villeroy Iverny
Heights of Cuisy
Le Rutel
Monthyon
Road from Neufmontiers to Iverny Le Rutel
Heights of Penchard
Castle Park
Neufmontiers
A. +PANORAMA OF MONTHYON PENCHARD. NEUFMONTIERS+]
The advance guard of the Fourth German reserve corps had placed
its artillery in the declivities of the heights of Monthyon and
Penchard; the infantry troops and machine-guns had advanced into the
plain, utilising le Rutel and the Neufmontiers to Iverny road as
entrenchments. The first cannon shot of the battle of the Marne was
fired on the 5th of September, at noon, from Monthyon at a French
battery which was coming out of Iverny, and killed the captain. The
fight was sanguinary all that day. The troops of the 55th division
tried their hardest to push the Germans back beyond Monthyon but were
stopped on the plain by the terrible fire of the machine-guns. At the
same time the Moroccan brigade attacked the heights of Penchard and
carried them with the bayonet, but it could not maintain its position
there and was forced back behind Neufmontiers and Chauconin, which the
Germans occupied. This occupation only lasted a few hours for, during
the night, the German troops, threatened with being outflanked by the
Seventh Corps further north, abandoned their formidable positions at
Monthyon--Penchard and the outposts at Neufmontiers--Chauconin. The
next morning the French took possession.
[Illustration: GREAT GRAVE OF VILLEROY]