VILLERS SOUS LEU
Click a picture to see a larger view.
This was perhaps the biggest surprise on this trip round Picardie. It's the furthest south of all those places mentioned in the genealogy.
The
antique map shows that takes its name from its neighbour St Leu.
The village is in the crook of the junction of the D92 and the D44, near the Oise, not far from the beautiful forested area around Chantilly. The whole area reeks with history. Villers sous Leu sits on an almost straight line between Mareuil la Motte and Paris. It would make a pleasant detour east on the way from Beauvais to Paris. It's about 25 kilometres west of Senlis. If you wanted to get there in a hurry from The Channel, take the E46 beyond Beauvais, then turn off south, or continue until you meet the D1016, then head south. The rest is easy.
The photos say it all. You can get into the lovely ruin because it's now a municipal building, so they will be keeping it up to scratch. I can only say, if you like splendid ruins, this is a small one, and pretty splendid, complete with moat. Whoever lived there seemed to like the look of luxury, as can be seen in the renaissance style of the front and windows.
