Source et oratoire Saint-Fort

Poigny-la-Forêt

Poigny-la-Forêt, a village buried deep in the forest of Rambouillet, preserves on the bank of its river a spring known as Saint-Fort's, surmounted by a small oratory. Local tradition relates that around the year 300 the bishop of Bordeaux, Saint Fort, was crossing the forest of Yveline on his way to Lutetia when he met a crippled child in tears; he is said to have made a spring gush from the ground and ordered the child to bathe in it, whereupon the child at once recovered the use of his legs. The water has since been held to protect against illness, and the pediment of the oratory bears a modern mosaic showing a bearded bishop guiding a crippled child to the foot of the fountain. An inscription there greets visitors: "happy or suffering, passers-by, collect yourselves and have hope. The living water of faith still works miracles". Every Whit Monday, after mass celebrated in the church of Saint-Pierre, the inhabitants walk in procession down to the spring to ask Saint Fort for his protection against serious illness. The present oratory, very modest, was restored and blessed in June 2015 by the parish. The place belongs to the string of healing springs of the southern Yvelines, long frequented for their supposed virtues, though no therapeutic property of the water has ever been established.

Rambouillet Territoires — L'oratoire Saint-Fort ↗

Getting there : Coordinates given at the centre of the village (village-level accuracy only): the oratory is a few hundred metres away, on the way out of Poigny-la-Forêt towards the hamlet of Guipéreux, below the road, on the riverbank. Park in the village, then a short walk. Site freely accessible, on the edge of the forest of Rambouillet.

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound