Larchant () is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne

department Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

in the

Île-de-France , timezone1 = CET , utc_offset1 = +01:00 , timezone1_DST = CEST , utc_offset1_DST = +02:00 , blank_name_sec1 = Gross regional product , blank_info_sec1 = Ranked 1st , bla ...

region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...

. It is located on the southern edge of the

Forest of Fontainebleau The forest of Fontainebleau (french: Forêt de Fontainebleau, or ''Forêt de Bière'', meaning "forest of heather") is a mixed deciduous forest lying southeast of Paris, France. It is located primarily in the arrondissement of Fontainebleau i ...

Demographics

The inhabitants are called ''Liricantois'' from the Latin name of the town, ''Liricantus''. The 1793 census showed a population of 470 people and the maximum population was 730 in 1841. The national statistical authority put the 2017 population at 696 people. The same source shows that 68% of the dwellings were occupied by full time residents, while 24% were second homes and 8 percent were vacant.

History

Gravure rupestre Boissy aux Cailles Seine et Marne

Prehistory. In the immediate vicinity of Larchant, around 100 caves contain extensive displays of prehistoric, mostly geometric etchings (e.g. lattices). Of particular note is the vast 'Painted Cave' (''la grotte de la peinture''). Still visible on its ceiling are traces of an ochre-colored cave painting. Also visible are numerous etchings that have been reliably dated to the

Mesolithic The Mesolithic (Greek: μέσος, ''mesos'' 'middle' + λίθος, ''lithos'' 'stone') or Middle Stone Age is the Old World archaeological period between the Upper Paleolithic and the Neolithic. The term Epipaleolithic is often used synonymous ...

period. The Gallic period. During the Gallic period, Larchant was a spiritual sanctuary dedicated to the cult of water. The destruction and abandonment of the sanctuary is thought to have taken place sometime between AD 350 and 378. The Middle Ages. The Middle Ages witnessed the development of Larchant as an important pilgrimage destination. It served as the center of the cult of Saint Mathurin and attracted, in particular, pilgrims seeking cures for madness or exorcism for the possessed. Pilgrims heading for Santiago de Compostela also often stopped at Larchant. Starting in 1324, the pilgrimage was flourishing to such an extent that it generated funds that were used to finance the operation of Notre Dame de Paris (which had received Larchant as donation from Elisabeth Le Riche in the early 11th century). The growing influx of pilgrims required the construction of the larger church which still dominates the village. With the French Revolution, the pilgrimage largely disappeared, though remnants exist to this day.

The built environment

Larchant's rich spiritual and religious history has left it with an impressive architectural heritage. Key features include: The basilica of Saint Mathurin. Not technically a basilica, this partly ruined church was built in several stages between the 12th and the 16th century. The structure has suffered numerous vicissitudes over the ages, including pillage and arson during the War of Religions, and several natural disasters. In 1675, the northeast pillar of the high tower collapsed into the nave. In 1846, the church was designated as a ''

monument historique ''Monument historique'' () is a designation given to some national heritage sites in France. It may also refer to the state procedure in France by which National Heritage protection is extended to a building, a specific part of a building, a coll ...

'' by the French Ministry of Culture. Saint Mathurin la Fontaine de Saint Mathurin

The ferme du Chapitre. Overlooking Larchant, this medieval agricultural complex features a tithing barn, dovecote and well. It was the base from which the canons of the 'chapitre' of '' Notre Dame de Paris'' looked after their economic interests in Larchant, after receiving the village as a donation in the 11th century. This arrangement ended with the French Revolution. Saint Mathurin's source (''Fontaine Saint Mathurin)''. A site thought to be linked to the ancient cult of water and to the origins of the village of Larchant and also closely linked to the veneration of Saint Mathurin. According to tradition, Mathurin was a shepherd and, in order to provide water for his flock, he brought forth a spring by kicking a rock which still bears the imprint of his foot. The Inn of the Three Kings ''(L'auberge des Trois Rois).'' This structure has a 15th-century facade and is the best conserved of what was, at the time of the pilgrimages to the tomb of Saint Mathurin, one of many inns available to pilgrims. The ‘Calvary of the Three Crosses’ (''Le Calvaire des trois croix''). Dated to at least the 12 century (and possibly much earlier), the base of the Calvaire takes the form of an octagonal pyramid with 8 faces and 7 levels. At the top of the structure are four relatively easily identifiable heads of a toad, a hare, a turtle and a sheep. Originally, the base supported 4 columns. The Calvary is located on the outskirts of the village, just off the road to the Dame Jouanne

The natural environment

Larchant benefits from a rich natural heritage, including biologically significant wetlands and the Fontainebleau forest. The Larchant Wetlands Nature Preserve (''la Réserve Naturelle Régionale du Marais de Larchant'') covers about 124 hectares (306 acres) and supports an exceptional level of biodiversity — 480 plant species and 145 species of beetle have been identified in the reserve. The reserve also offers one of the most important bird sanctuaries in the Île de France region. The

(and specifically the area referred to as the Forest of the Commanderie, a reference to an ancient Templar site) almost completely surrounds Larchant. It is a mixed deciduous forest and has a total area of 250 square kilometres (97 square miles). Particularly in the area around Larchant, the forest is known for its very pure and fine sand and for its striking, zoomorphic boulders in sandstone (''grès de Fontainebleau'').

Cultural references and other features

A landscape oil painting by

Balthus Balthasar Klossowski de Rola (February 29, 1908 – February 18, 2001), known as Balthus, was a Polish-French modern artist. He is known for his erotically charged images of pubescent girls, but also for the refined, dreamlike quality of his image ...

dating from 1939 is a panoramic view of the village centered on the basilica. In her 1980 novel ''

The Boy Who Followed Ripley ''The Boy Who Followed Ripley'' is a 1980 psychological thriller by Patricia Highsmith, the fourth in her series about career criminal Tom Ripley. In this book, Ripley continues living quietly on his French estate, Belle Ombre, only obliquely invo ...

'',

Patricia Highsmith Patricia Highsmith (January 19, 1921 – February 4, 1995) was an American novelist and short story writer widely known for her psychological thrillers, including her series of five novels featuring the character Tom Ripley. She wrote 22 novel ...

described the town as a "quiet village" where " e little private houses, all close together in cobble-stoned lanes, looked like illustrations from children's books, cottages almost too small for man and wife to live in". Larchant is renowned for its first-class boulder climbing sites, l'Éléphant and la ''Dame Jouanne'', in the Forêt de la Commanderie that surrounds it.

Gallery

File:Église St Mathurin Larchant 4.jpg, The apse of the Basilica File:Detail statues portail nord St Mathurin.png, Detail of North portal of the Basilica File:Portail nord St Mathurin.png, North portal of the Basilica, with tympanum illustrating the Last Judgment. File:Larchant ferme du Chapitre pigeonnier 02.jpg, The dovecote of the Farm of the ''Chapitre'' File:Larchant ferme du Chapitre pigeonnier 03.jpg, The interior of the dovecote File:Larchant ferme du Chapitre 01.jpg, Broader view of the Farm of the ''Chapitre'' File:Maison 3 rue Libération Larchant 2.jpg, Inn of the 3 Kings File:Larchant maison du Pélerin.jpg, The Pilgrim's Lodge File:Larchant Calvaire des trois croix.jpg, The Calvary of the Three Crosses. ''Le Calvaire des trois croix.''

References

External links

Official site

* ttps://www.pop.culture.gouv.fr/search/list?o%C3%B9=%5B%22Larchant%22%5D French Ministry of Culture list for Larchant {{authority control Communes of Seine-et-Marne