Maison Prieuré, now a guest house and holiday cottages, was originally known as Sainte-Geneviève Priory of Borest. This is a historical treasure formerly held by the Abbey of Sainte-Geneviève in Paris.*. At the time, the priory was one of the 900 properties owned by this prestigious abbey.
The place is still distinguished today by its mansion, whose upstairs windows date from the 14th century. The imposing buttresses surrounding the house bear witness to medieval architecture and suggest that the building has retained its original form through the centuries.
Over time, the place has been maintained and restored with restraint, respecting what it already was.
Today, this former monastic residence welcomes travelers who come stay in a place steeped in history in the heart of the Oise.
Located in the south of the Oise region, Borest is one of the oldest villages in Valois. The priory of Sainte-Geneviève traces its roots back to a legendary gift from Clovis to the abbey of Paris.
Although the 11th-century chapel is now in ruins, the facade of the bell tower still remains, offering tangible evidence of the site's medieval history. These remains allow us to imagine the religious and social importance of the priory throughout the centuries.
The monks who resided here followed the precepts of Saint Augustine and were directly under the authority of the Pope, highlighting their central role in the ecclesiastical organization of the time. The abbot, wearing episcopal insignia, exercised a right of justice that lasted until 1674.
Within these walls, a modest prison still preserves graffiti, discreet but fascinating vestiges of a rich and complex past.
Today, these ruins and remains contribute to the Borest's unique charm, a small historic village located a few kilometers from Chantilly.
At the Priory, the paved courtyard is framed by high walls whose openings, reduced to simple loopholes, testify to the precautions taken in the past against possible looting.
THE Borest dovecote, Dating from the 17th century, it recalls the importance of the monastic estate and the seigneurial privileges once enjoyed by the priory. It housed between two and three thousand nests for raising pigeons. A pivoting ladder allowed for the maintenance of the nests, while their number directly reflected the extent of the estate's land.
It is estimated that the priory's domain once extended over 1200 to 1500 hectares.
Even today, this dovecote is one of the emblematic elements of Maison Prieuré's heritage.
*The Abbey of Sainte-Geneviève in Paris was a monastery founded in the 6th century by Clovis and dedicated to Saint Genevieve, patron saint of Paris. Located on the Montagne Sainte-Geneviève (present-day Latin Quarter), it played a central role in the religious and intellectual life of the Middle Ages before being dissolved during the French Revolution.
An old view of the Sainte-Geneviève priory in Borest: the dovecote and the chapel can be seen, the latter having a bell tower which, now in ruins, was still intact at the time.
""Staying at Maison Prieuré means sleeping in a place steeped in history in the heart of the old Valois region." — Elise
An old view of the Sainte-Geneviève priory in Borest: the dovecote and the chapel can be seen, the latter having a bell tower which, now in ruins, was still intact at the time.
