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Origin and history

The Chilpéric monument, located in Chelles (Seine-et-Marne), is a historical vestige dating back to an indefinite period. Today it consists of a column barrel placed on a rectangular base, installed in the Émile-Fouchard souvenir park, downtown. At the end of the 18th century, according to Auguste Longnon, this column was surmounted by a cylindrical stone bearing an iron cross, shot down in September 1792 by a battalion crossing the city. The current remains, reduced to their base, were classified as historical monuments in 1862.

This monument is traditionally associated with the assassination of Chilperic I, king of the Franks, which occurred in Chelles in 584 when he returned from a hunting party. Although its name varies (stone, pillar or cross of Chilperic, or Cross of St.Bautheur), its commemorative role related to this historic event remains constant. Sources also mention its original location as a local landmark, although its original form and precise function before the 18th century remain partially unknown.

The protection of the monument in 1862 underscores its heritage importance, despite its fragmentary state. Its history reflects the political and religious upheavals of the French Revolution, marked by the destruction of symbols such as the iron cross. Today, it is a material testimony of the Merovingian legends in Île-de-France, while illustrating the transformations of ancient monuments over the centuries.

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