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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The covered fountain of Moncel Abbey, located at Pontpoint near Pont-Sainte-Maxence, dates from the 14th century. It was built at the same time at the abbey founded in 1309 by Philippe le Bel for the clarisse nuns. Powered by a remote source via a lead pipe financed by Philippe de Valois, it was mainly used to wash the nuns' linen.

The toilet associated with the fountain, partially buried, was accessible by stairs and originally covered. Although modest, this hydraulic system reflected the autonomy sought by the abbey, with seven sources on its estate. The fountain, classified as a historic monument in 1933, was restored by the Club du Vieux Manoir after centuries of abandonment.

The Moncel Abbey, on which the fountain depended, was a place of prayer and retreat for the female aristocracy. Its foundation was part of a political strategy of Philip the Bel, advised by Franciscans, after the repression of the Templars. The fountain, though discreet, illustrates medieval ingenuity in water management, essential for an isolated monastic community.

After the Revolution, the abbey was sold as a national property and partially demolished, but the fountain survived. In the 19th century, the site became a wine farm before being saved by volunteers in the 20th century. Today, the fountain and its wash, although lacking its original cover, remain rare testimonies of medieval monastic infrastructures.

Archaeological excavations conducted near the Abbey in 1997 revealed traces of Gallo-Roman and medieval occupation, but no direct connection to the fountain. The latter, with its basin below and its feeding system, demonstrates an advanced hydraulic mastery for the time, typical of well-equipped royal abbeys.

Unlike other elements of the abbey such as the cloister or the abbey, the fountain has undergone little structural change. Its classification in 1933, separate from the abbey (classified in 1920), underscores its heritage importance. It is now accessible during visits to the estate, managed by the Club du Vieux Manoir.

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