Tour de la Vierge
The Tour de la Vierge, also known as Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, is a small religious monument tucked away on the top of the Corne-Biche rock formation in the Trois Pignons area of the Forest of Fontainebleau, near the village of Arbonne-la-Forêt. It's located in the Île-de-France region, in the Seine-et-Marne department.
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This 7-metre-tall stone tower stands at the end of a trail that starts in the Chanfroy plain. The climb is steep and the descent can be tricky, but it rewards hikers with sweeping views over the surrounding forest. The tower is topped with a statue of the Virgin Mary holding the baby Jesus. This statue is known as Notre-Dame de Grâce ("Our Lady of Grace").
History
The tower was built in 1862 by a couple from Melun after the wife experienced what they believed was a miraculous healing in Lourdes. In gratitude, they funded the construction of the tower, which includes a tiny chapel (or oratory) inside. The small altar inside features a mosaic showing the Virgin Mary under the title Notre-Dame des Champs ("Our Lady of the Fields"), the patroness of farmers. The interior is also decorated with other religious symbols, and a marble plaque commemorates the tower's inauguration on June 1, 1862.
The statue currently crowning the tower was added later, on May 10, 1895, during a religious festival. The statue was created by sculptor Joseph Lefèvre and was blessed in a formal ceremony led by local clergy. That day, people gathered in the nearby towns of Saint-Martin-en-Bière and Arbonne before walking in procession to the site. Unfortunately, in 1897, a fire damaged the oratory and the surrounding area.
The Tour de la Vierge also played a key role in the life of the poet Adolphe Retté. In 1906, advised by his doctor to get some fresh air, Retté moved to Arbonne and regularly visited the tower. Although he had been a socialist and an anarchist, these visits stirred something in him. The quiet, natural beauty of the forest and the peaceful atmosphere of the tower led him to convert to Catholicism—a transformation he described in his book From the Devil to God (Du Diable à Dieu).
The tower eventually fell into neglect, but in 1937 it was purchased by a group of locals and friends of Retté. They restored the site, and a re-inauguration ceremony was held on September 15, 1938.
The Tower Today
Today, the Tour de la Vierge remains a quiet but meaningful destination for hikers, history buffs, and the occasional pilgrim. Despite its humble size, it holds a unique place in the cultural and spiritual history of the forest. All the more so as it sits above the Plaine de Chanfroy where 36 men were executed by the Nazi's shortly before end of World War Two.
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