The Borde gateway

The Borde gateway is one of four gates built into the fortifications surrounding the town of Montlhéry from the reign of king François the 1st onwards. It closes the walls to the east of the town, which is why it is also known as the “Levant gateway”. At the time, it overlooked the road from Corbeil. A tower, rebuilt and converted into a dwelling, remains at the corner of bowmen street and Docteur Ogé street (take the path on your left to get there). It should be noted that the gates were accompanied by “posterns”, hidden openings that pierced the town’s ramparts. One of them opened onto the castle (at postern street), while others opened onto the surrounding fields.

A few metres further along the route, if you take the first small path on your left, you will come to the water tower. If you continue to the right, you will see the possible site of a fortress, where the lord’s vassals probably lived.

Then, as you go up on your right towards the tower, you can admire the house on the corner on your left at 2 Alexandre Prou’s street, which is the former St Lawrence priory. You can also see the former St Peter’s chapel, built by Guy I, Count of Montlhéry, and his wife Hodierne in the early 11th century, within the first castle walls. It was the parish church, vaulted in the antique style, with a very low tower and flanked by a cemetery. In the 18th century, this church was only used by a very small number of people, and was merged with the parish of the “Holy Trinity” in 1739. In a dilapidated state, it eventually collapsed.

Today’s The St Peter’s chapel street is an extension of Alexandre Prou’s street, former mayor of Montlhéry from 1879 to 1888. The St Peter’s chapel street used to start at the top of the postern street, where the St Peter and St Lawrence priory used to be, and ended in the windmills street.