Archaeological traces, church furnishings and birdlife give Marolles-sur-Seine several distinct themes. When planning your trip, you can first decide whether to focus on local history and architecture or on nature watching and trails. The Les Gours-aux-Lions archaeological site, the Église Saint-Germain et Saint-Marcoul and the Le Carreau Franc nature area represent these different sides.
Bronze Age traces and an old village scene
A significant Late Bronze Age cemetery was discovered at the Les Gours-aux-Lions archaeological site. Rescue excavations uncovered a total of 30 burials between 1963 and 1969. The site lay on a high alluvial terrace on the banks of the Seine, rising up to 8 m above the river. The old centre also retains its briar-like character: high boundary walls and substantial old agricultural buildings define it. In Marolles-sur-Seine, you can therefore encounter two historical perspectives: the Late Bronze Age archaeological site and the architectural heritage of the village centre.
Layers of history at the Église Saint-Germain et Saint-Marcoul
The Église Saint-Germain et Saint-Marcoul can also be viewed through several layers of history. In the 13th century, it acquired its bell tower with staircase, an apsidiole, the transept and the north wall of the nave. Inside are 16th-century stone baptismal fonts, classified as historic monuments, as well as oil paintings and a polychrome statue of Saint Germain. Thus, features from the 13th century and furnishings from the 16th century stand side by side in the same church.
Birdlife at Le Carreau Franc
The ENS Le Carreau Franc is a sensitive natural area in Marolles-sur-Seine. A body of water provides a habitat there, and the area is of ornithological interest. Many birds stop there during migration, while several species of conservation importance breed in spring. Stopover periods during migration and spring breeding therefore represent distinct seasonal aspects. Observation points are located by the roadside and within the site. They are accessible only as part of excursions organised by the ANVL. If you plan to visit these points, arrange your visit to coincide with one of these excursions.
Trails along the Seine and Yonne
The Boucles des Deux Fleuves route follows the Seine from Montereau to Marolles-sur-Seine and the Yonne from Cannes-Ecluse to Montereau. The route is 18.5 km long in total, with around 8 km within Marolles-sur-Seine. L'île aux moines is a 12 km trail that you can use on foot, by bicycle or on horseback. Along the way, it offers opportunities to observe biodiversity. The trails can be compared by various features: for the Boucles, you can distinguish the total length from the section in Marolles; for L'île aux moines, several modes of travel are possible on the same route. This lets you compare the routes by length, location and preferred way of getting around.
Discover more destinations: Égligny, Avon, Lieusaint, Coutevroult, Rubelles, Faremoutiers, Salins, Chalifert
For the main travel overview: Seine-Et-Marne.
