Montépilloy reveals itself through striking reminders of its history and trails with views of the surrounding area. The privately owned Château de Montépilloy is open to the public for visits on 40 days a year; groups can visit on request. Check the visiting arrangements before you travel if a visit is to be part of your stay.
Château and History
The château was built around 1150 by Gui IV Le Bouteiller de Senlis. Montépilloy later became the site of a battle: on 15 August 1429, the royal army under the command of Charles VII and Joan of Arc faced the English troops of the Duke of Bedford. Commemorative plaques recall Joan of Arc’s passage through the area in 1429. Montépilloy thus brings together both the history of the château’s construction and different memories of 1429.
The Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste: Recognising Its Building Phases
The Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste was built around 1190 and served as the seat of a small parish priory dependent on Hérivaux Abbey. Its architectural features also show later changes: the large choir windows and the present-day vaults were created in the 16th century in the Flamboyant Gothic style. The four square bays have rib vaults and are nine metres high. At the portal, slender columns stand out, gradually decreasing in diameter.
The church cannot therefore be reduced to a single year of construction. Its origins around 1190 and the later windows and vaults belong to different phases. Those interested in architecture will find specific details to compare here: the height and shape of the bays, the design of the vaults and the slender columns of the portal.
Historical Traces and Nature
Other traces in the village include sculpted triangular medieval boundary stones dating from 1543 to 1545. Boundary stones belonging to the Princes of Condé in Montépilloy bear an engraved fleur-de-lis. Their shape, date and engraving each offer a different way to explore the historical markers found in Montépilloy.
The landscape can also be explored through specific waypoints. The watering place on the path from Montépilloy to Fourcheret provides a habitat for the common midwife toad (Alytes obstetricans). The circular route through Montépilloy follows a wooded path around the village centre and continues along a ridge, offering views of the surrounding area’s remarkable landscapes.
Exploring on Foot
For a longer walk, the route “Une grande échappée de Montépilloy à Fourcheret” is described as 9.7 kilometres long, with an approximate walking time of 2 hours and 30 minutes. These details provide a time and distance framework for planning; route information may change, so check local walking information before setting out. Highlights of the route include the 12th-century Donjon de Montépilloy.
When planning, it is worth choosing between the trails according to your preferred focus: the circular route follows the wooded path around the village centre and climbs the ridge; the named walking route gives a specified distance and walking time. Both descriptions bring the landscape and Montépilloy into view, but offer different points of reference. The château, church and trails thus provide different ways to explore the village and its history.
Discover more destinations: Auneuil, Senantes, Croutoy, Béthisy-Saint-Martin, Chevincourt, Bury, Grandfresnoy, Roye-Sur-Matz.
For the broader travel overview: Oise.
