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Origin and history

The barn of Vaulerent, located in Villeron in the plain of France, is a former Cistercian farm founded in the 12th century by the Abbey of Chaalis. This estate, acquired in 1138 by a joint purchase of King Louis VI the Gros and monks, was initially covered with wood and uncultivated land. The Cistercian monks, assisted by donations from local lords such as Barthélemy de Montgé or Guillaume de Goussainville, cleared and structured the territory between 1140 and 1160, creating a vast grain estate of nearly 380 hectares.

The barn, built in the 13th century, was 72 metres long and served as a storage place for crops. Operated directly by the conversing monks until 1315, it then went into rent due to the agricultural crisis and lack of labour. In 1791, it was sold as a national property after the Revolution, then acquired by Louis-Michel Lepeletier de Saint-Fargeau. The barn, classified as a historic monument in 1889, remains an exceptional testimony of medieval agricultural architecture and the Cistercian organization.

The Vaulerent estate, isolated from agglomerations, was organised around a cereal farm using an innovative three-year rotation for the time. The monks cultivated wheat, barley and rye there, reaching high yields thanks to advanced techniques such as marning. The barn, with its three vessels and stone arches, symbolizes this agricultural efficiency. Over the centuries, it has passed into the hands of families of influential farmers, such as the Bruslé or Navarre, who modernise its operation while maintaining its central role in regional cereal production.

In the 20th century, the Lecerf family, owner since 1922, diversified crops to beet and potatoes, while preserving heritage. The barn, still in operation, now houses a 500 hectare farm and a packaging plant. Its dovecote, its medieval cellars and its well, inscribed in historical monuments in 1990, complete this remarkable site, adherent to the European Charter of Cistercian Abbeys.

The local legend of the "devil barn" says that a farmer would have made a pact with the devil to complete his roof before dawn, broken by the premature song of a cock. This history, attested from the eighteenth century, reflects popular admiration for this imposing building. The studies of Charles Higounet and Walter Horn have highlighted its historical importance, making it a model for understanding medieval agriculture and Cistercian architecture in Europe.

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