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Villers-Cotterêts hydraulic system dans l'Aisne

Patrimoine classé
Patrimoine hydraulique
Réseau hydraulique
Aisne

Villers-Cotterêts hydraulic system

    Le Regard Saint-Hubert
    02600 Villers-Cotterêts
Crédit photo : Thor19 - Sous licence Creative Commons

Timeline

Bas Moyen Âge
Renaissance
Temps modernes
Révolution/Empire
XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
1500
1600
1900
2000
1520-1540
Construction of Saint-Hubert look
18 juin 1970
Registration for historical monuments
1973
Eye restoration
29 juillet 2013
Registration of the hydraulic network
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

Le regard Saint-Hubert, placed Le Regard Saint-Hubert, dans la forêt domaniale (cad. AP 21): inscription by order of 18 June 1970 - The entire water system known as the "lady of pots" of the park and the castle forest (cod. for the route of the pipes: Haramont A 107, 108, 110 (corresponding to forest plot 333), 96, 105, 106, 111 (corresponding to forest plot 334), 94, 97, 98, 122 (corresponding to forest plot 335), 91, 92, 120 (corresponding to forest plot 339), 79 (corresponding to forest plot 340), 78 (corresponding to forest plots 341 and 342), 70, 76 (corresponding to forest plot 343), 70 (corresponding to forest plot 344); Largny-sur-Automne C 2, 60 (corresponding to forest parcel 329), 60 (corresponding to forest parcels 330 and 331), 8 (corresponding to forest parcel 437), 60, 7 (corresponding to forest parcel 455); Villers-Cotterêts AP 22 (corresponding to forest parcel 316), 13, 14 (corresponding to forest parcel 321), 137 (corresponding to forest parcel 322), 1, 2, 14 (corresponding to forest parcel 323), 18, 20 (corresponding to forest parcel 410), 47 (corresponding to forest parcel 433), 8, 9, 11, 12 (corresponding to forest parcel 435), 5, 6, 7 (corresponding to forest parcel 438); for door-to-door looks: Haramont A 79 (corresponding to the forest plot 341: look at the Callotte, look at the Moulinet, look at the Cross Morel); Largny-sur-Automne C 2, 60 (corresponding to forest plot 329: look Neuf); Villers-Cotterêts AP 1, 2, 14 (corresponding to the forest plots 323: Mme Vely's gaze, Grand regard aux Grès and 321: Petit regard aux Grès), 22 (corresponding to the forest plot 316: Petit regard des Vieilles Voûtes, Grand regard des Vieilles Voûtes, Grand regard Saint-Hubert), 47 (corresponding to the forest plot 433: regard de Choisy)): inscription by decree of 29 July 2013

Key figures

François Ier - King of France (1515-1547) Sponsor of Saint-Hubert's gaze and network.

Origin and history

The Saint-Hubert look, also known as hermitage Saint-Hubert, is a square hydraulic building built between 1520 and 1540 under the orders of François I. Located in the forest of Retz, on the town of Villers-Cotterêts (Aisne), its facade is decorated with two carved salamanders, the king's emblem. This gaze served as a central point for the collection of the surrounding waters, replacing an ancient medieval hermitage from which some architectural elements, including sculptures, remain.

The hydraulic system, known as the "pots' wool", extended through the state forest and the castle park. It was entirely rebuilt in the 16th century to feed the castle of Villers-Cotterêts, with door-to-door looks spread over several communes (Haramont, Largny-sur-Automne). Saint-Hubert's gaze, inscribed in historic monuments in 1970, benefited from a restoration around 1973. Its name comes from a medieval chapel dedicated to Saint Hubert, formerly located nearby.

The protected elements include not only the Saint-Hubert look, but also the entire hydraulic network, with its lines and side-views (such as the look of the Catalotte or the Great Look at the Sandstones). This infrastructure, registered in 2013, reflects the hydraulic engineering of the Renaissance, designed to meet the water needs of the Royal Castle. The arches of the vault of Saint-Hubert's gaze are decorated with fabulous human heads, adding an artistic dimension to this utilitarian work.

The precise location of the network, drawn through the forest plots of the municipalities of Villers-Cotterêts, Haramont and Largny-sur-Automne, reveals a complex organization. The eyes, such as that of Mrs Vely or the Moulinet, punctuated the water course, illustrating the strategic importance of this system for the court of François I. Today, Saint-Hubert's gaze remains the most emblematic vestige of this hydraulic heritage, classified and preserved for its historical and technical interest.

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