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Origin and history

The abbey Notre-Dame de Lieu-Restauré was founded in 1131 by Raoul I de Vermandois, grandson of Henri I of France, for canons pre-demonstrated by Luc de Roussy. Located in the valley of the Autumn (Oise), it replaced an existing chapel near the Comtal residence. The donation was formalized in 1138 by a charter co-signed by Bernard de Clairvaux and the bishop of Senlis, and later confirmed by Pope Eugene III. The abbey, attached to Cuissy, adopted a Cistercian plan with church, cloister, refectory and infirmary. A female community lived there temporarily.

In the 12th century, the abbey prospered thanks to tithes and lands given by the local lords. The monks served the neighboring parishes (Bargny, Feigneux), limiting their presence on the spot. Architectural modifications took place as early as 1150 (upgrading of buildings to control moisture), followed in the 13th century by a drainage canal and expansion of the main building, whose latrines overlooked the canal. The choir was enlarged in Gothic style in the 14th century, but the Hundred Years' War (1417) forced the monks to flee to the dungeon of Vez. The abbey, destroyed around 1430, was rebuilt from 1450 in a flamboyant Gothic style, with a rose dated 1540.

The trade regime (established in 1564–66) marked a gradual decline. Abbés such as Jean de Bertier (1556–1620), also bishop of Rieux, or Adam de Heurtelou financed works, but the wars of Religion (pillage in 1567) imposed the sale of land. In the 18th century, a spiritual reform launched the abbey: reconstruction of the main building (1700–12), of a new cloister (1715–26), and reception of relics (Saint Columbus, Saint Lucida). In 1766 she became a parish for the surrounding villages, possessing mills, presses and 1,085 books in her library.

The French Revolution sealed its fate: sold as national property in 1791, its stones were dispersed. Repurchased in 1800 by General Leclerc, it was transformed into starch, warehouse and then farm (1877). Since 1964, an association has restored it with the help of the Rempart Union. The church was listed as a historical monument in 1965, followed by conventual elements in 2015. Today, the site is visited from April to October, testifying to eight centuries of monastic and architectural history.

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