Montroty: Hiking and Heritage

Montroty is a village in the Pays de Bray in the Seine-Maritime department, bordering the state-owned Forêt domaniale de Lyons. The destination combines a clearly defined landscape with hiking and local history. The La Hêtraie hiking trail, Sainte Madeleine Church, the Le Temple estate, the La Haye glassworks and the treasure of Mont-Rôty offer different points of interest.

Hiking and Landscape

The La Hêtraie hiking trail starts at the church in Mont-Rôty and runs through the Bois du Temple. This gives you a specific route as well as Montroty’s location by the Forêt domaniale de Lyons: the location describes the broader landscape connection, while La Hêtraie follows a particular hiking route. If you would like to include hiking in a hotel trip, you can take these two different points of interest into account when choosing your destination.

Sainte Madeleine: Architecture and Interior

The Eglise Sainte Madeleine in Mont-Rôty dates from the 17th and 18th centuries. Its entrance porch is made of brick, while the nave is built of brick and flint. Brick is used in both parts of the building; flint is mentioned for the nave. Inside are notable woodwork features: a Romanesque vault, pews, choir stalls and a retable, or altarpiece. Outside, attention is drawn to the materials and the different parts of the building; inside, to several forms of decoration. The church’s construction period and design thus offer two different perspectives: its historical period and its architectural details. Choir stalls are rows of seats in the choir.

Estate, Glassworks and Coin Hoard

The Le Temple estate adds another historical thread. In the 14th century, following the disappearance of the Templars, it was transferred to the Order of the Hospitallers of Saint John of Jerusalem, also known as the Order of Malta. The transfer marks the change from the Templars to the Hospitallers. The estate is privately owned.

The La Haye glassworks operated until 1805. Its founder, Philippe de Caqueray, is credited with inventing flat glass for doors and windows. Alongside its period of operation, a specific use of flat glass is therefore associated with the glassworks. The estate and the glassworks represent different themes: the transfer between orders at the estate, and a historical business and the invention attributed to its founder at La Haye.

The “Trésor de Mont-Rôty” adds an archaeological dimension to the architectural and industrial history. The hoard is said to comprise about 872 ancient coins in total. It was added to the collections of the departmental museum on 26 July 1905. The coin hoard thus offers another historical highlight for a cultural trip to Montroty.

Discover more destinations: Mont-Saint-Aignan, Vattetot-Sur-Mer, Fontenay, Montmain, Bec-De-Mortagne, La Remuée, Theuville-aux-Maillots, Eslettes.

For the regional travel overview: Seine-Maritime.