Villebéon
Villebéon is a village in Seine-et-Marne, located about 20 km east of Nemours and 24 km west of Sens. Historically, the village has deep roots, dating back to medieval times. Its most famous historical figure is Gauthier I, the first notable lord of Villebéon, born around 1125. He held the title of Grand Chamberlain, serving under French kings Louis VII and Philip Augustus, and participated in the Second Crusade. Gauthier's marriage to Aveline de Château-Landon brought him control of the Nemours region and Villebéon, strengthening the influence of his family.
The territory of Villebéon was originally divided into two main parts. One section, near the hamlet of Passy, was under the jurisdiction of the archbishopric of Sens. An early chapel there, founded in 1171 by the hermit Fulbert, later became a grange and helped establish a nearby convent. The second area included the village, the hamlet of Les Granges, and Villeniard Woods, and was brought as a dowry by Garcile, possibly a member of the Chevry family.
By the 15th and 16th centuries, Villebéon passed to the Amer family, with Pierre Amer acquiring the land in 1467. Later, the Pomereu and La Châtre families held the estate. During the French Revolution, Villebéon’s last noble family connection ended with Justine-Josèphe Boucot de Dormans.
Today, few traces remain of Villebéon's medieval past, except for a few old wells, washhouses, moats, and a cross from the old cemetery. The Saint-Laurent Chapel ruins in Passy, founded in 1171, still stand as a reminder of the village’s historic roots. Villebéon’s coat of arms, designed in 2010, honors its heritage by incorporating elements from the original family crest of Pierre I de Villebéon.