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Origin and history

The country house of Monseigneur de la Tour-d'Auvergne, located in Etrun in the Hauts-de-France, is built between the 17th and 19th centuries. It occupies the site of an ancient Gallic oppidum, then of a Benedictine abbey founded around 800 by Princess Beatrix, contemporary of Charlemagne. The abbey, dedicated to Notre Dame, housed noble girls who were not cloistered, subject to the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience. His privileges were confirmed by Pope Pascal II at the request of Lambert, bishop of Arras.

The remains of the abbey and the oppidum are partially integrated into the current property, including protected elements such as the facades of the house, walls of the enclosure, and pillars from the 17th to the 19th century. The site, registered with the Historical Monuments in 1985 and 1993, thus blends Gallic, medieval and classical heritage. Local toponyms (Strumen, Estreu) recall its abbey history, while sources such as the Gallia Christiana and Lausanne archives document its past.

The house, private but partially accessible, illustrates the re-use of historical sites by the post-medieval aristocracy. Its park and commons, as well as the remains of the abbey (grange, wall of enclosure), bear witness to successive strata of occupation, from Gauls to modern times. The Ladies of Etrun, although missing, left a lasting toponymic and architectural footprint in the region.

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