Coulommes: Monument, oil history and hiking

In Coulommes, the points of interest range from architectural history and an oil-producing past to a designated hiking route. The Pigeonnier de la Ferme and the Église Saint-Laurent represent different architectural periods; a drilling rig displayed near the town hall recalls the village’s oil history. The Promenade d'altitude adds a 16-kilometre hike to this picture. If you are looking for hotels in Coulommes, these themes provide a factual framework for deciding whether to focus your stay on historic buildings, industrial history or a longer hike.

Dovecote: repurposing and architectural details

The fortified tower of La Ferme du Colombier was converted into a dovecote in 1730. The dovecote contains 3,426 nesting niches and has a rotating ladder.

The Pigeonnier de la Ferme was listed as a historic monument by decree dated 23 January 1987. The two dates should be distinguished for chronological context: 1730 marks the tower’s conversion, while the 1987 decree marks its listing as a Monument historique. This makes it possible to distinguish the building’s history from its later official recognition.

The architectural history of the Église Saint-Laurent

The Église Saint-Laurent was built in the 13th century. It was badly damaged during the Wars of Religion and restored in the 15th and 16th centuries. The nave and Chapelle Saint-Nicolas were rebuilt in 1842. This gives the local history a different chronology from that of the dovecote, whose conversion dates to 1730.

Oil history and changes in viticulture

An oil drilling rig is displayed near Coulommes town hall as a reminder of the village’s oil history. The oil deposit was discovered in 1958 in the Dôme de Coulommes-Vaucourtois, at a depth of 1,870 metres. A total of 2,000,000 tonnes have been produced since extraction began. The year 1958 dates the discovery; 1,870 metres is the depth of the find, while the total quantity represents production since extraction began.

Viticulture is also part of the area’s history. Between 1873 and 1880, phylloxera destroyed French vineyards; as a result, the vineyards of Brie could no longer compete with produce from southern France. Alongside industrial history, this episode shows another historical change: it affected the position viticulture held in Brie at the time.

Planning the Promenade d'altitude

The Promenade d'altitude is a moderately challenging 16-kilometre hike with an estimated duration of 4 hours and 30 minutes. The route runs from Bouleurs via the Dôme de Coulommes to Vaucourtois. Its passage over the Dôme de Coulommes makes the hike a different focus from the village’s architectural and industrial history.

Discover more destinations: Paley, Coulommiers, Amillis, Saint-Ouen-en-Brie, Gretz-Armainvilliers, Dammartin-en-Goële, Veneux-les-Sablons, Rozay-en-Brie.

For the main travel overview: Seine-Et-Marne.