The big residence

At the turn of the 16th century many Rouen aristocrats and notables lived in the countryside and it was the same for church dignitaries. This was the case for the abbot of St-Ouen and Fécamp, Antoine Bohier, who had a large house in Rouen and a summer residence in Fontaine le Bourg.

The village was the seat of the  barony attached to the Fécamp Benedictine Abbey. Apparently, the former noble house  became a home for the sole use of the abbot of Fécamp while a new home for the baron, called the Big House, was built nearby. It was here that he provided a room for his brother, the chief financial officer for  Normandy. 

The far end of the house, in the form of a pavilion called the Fécamp room, was reserved for high dignitaries, such as the kings of France when travelling from Rouen to Dieppe.

The exterior of the manor was completely transformed to include a

courtyard, a fountain, gardens and meadows. Fontaine le Bourg was popular on all levels with these dignitaries and abbots. They appreciated the rest and tranquility and the proximity to the big towns where they maintained important relationships.

After the introduction of the St Maur reform in the 17th century the abbots of Fécamp leased the barony keeping only the kitchen, a washroom, a living room, several bedrooms, an office and a tower for a cellar. In other words, the rooms that enabled the abbot to live in comfort during his stays in Fontaine-le-Bourg. The rest of the house was for the use of the farmer. In 1659, the house was sold to Francois Dufour for 1500 pounds.

During the revolution the residence became national property (see the panel about the medieval castle). In 1659 it was sold to M. Plasnage and then divided up between different owners. Many of the original elements of the old, noble residence have disappeared, such as the side and lateral galleries, the Big House, the gardens, the fountain and the chapel.

Alain Dugard