Nanteau-sur-Essonne
Nanteau-sur-Essonne is a small commune in the Seine-et-Marne department, located in the Île-de-France region, close to Essonne to the north and Loiret to the southwest. It has been part of the Gâtinais Français Regional Natural Park since 2002. The village is about 36 km from Melun and 27 km from Fontainebleau.
One of the area's unique prehistoric sites is a large sandstone rock called “Pierre du Pas de Sainte-Anne,” with engraved footprints thought to represent Sainte-Anne and the Virgin Mary as a child. The site features ancient rock engravings, including a large menhir (standing stone) called “Menhir du Paly,” decorated with a human face and a traditional axe symbol, reflecting influences from the Neolithic to Chalcolithic periods.
The village has a rich history. During the medieval period, Boisminard, a nearby hamlet, was a center of agriculture and was managed by various noble families through the centuries. In the 17th century, a major fire destroyed part of Boisminard, leading to a long-standing local religious procession.
Notably, Nanteau-sur-Essonne retains a “napoleonic cadastre,” a historic land registry system established in the early 19th century for tax purposes. With support from the Regional Natural Park, the document has been preserved and is a valuable record of the village’s past.
Among its landmarks is the 12th-century Saint-Martin Church, a Gothic structure with a unique design, restored recently with help from the Gâtinais Regional Park.