Thourotte is a commune in the Oise department, in the Hauts-de-France region, 10 km northeast of Compiègne.
Its territory of a fairly modest area (4.3 km²) is bordered to the east by the course of the Oise, which constitutes its limit, but also by its lateral canal and it is crossed to the south by a few secondary streams.
Urbanized areas (56%) and industrial or commercial areas (15%) took precedence over agricultural land (25%), a consequence of the recent history of the locality.
Inhabited since prehistoric times and then in antiquity when a Roman camp was established there, the village developed as a castellany in the 12th century, belonging to the counts of Clermont and later to the lords of Montmorency.
Affected during the First World War, Thourotte will be so again during the Second, when the district of the station is razed following bombardments… However, in the meantime, the establishment of a glass factory of the Saint-Gobain company has changed the appearance of the city: which is therefore made up of two poles, one historical, the other around the factory with its housing and leisure facilities. The whole is now one. But with some 4700 inhabitants, still active, the town has a first-rate cultural and sporting leisure offer, in a preserved living environment...
In terms of heritage, its slightly off-centre 12th century Romanesque church on the banks of the Oise is the last major historical element of the Thourotte. The medieval fortress and the bridge that spanned the river have indeed disappeared…
Dedicated to Notre-Dame, the building has a powerful porch bell tower. It includes a nave of four bays, an elongated choir and a seven-sided apse. The aisles were remodeled in the 16th century (Gothic), punctuated by piers with columns with sculpted capitals.
Inside, a 16th century pew, a preaching pulpit from the Minimes de Compiègne church, built in 1669-1670, and an altarpiece with twisted columns, also from the 17th century, have been preserved.. Information on +33 3 44 76 39 81.
Another part of the heritage, but in a completely different register, the city dedicated to the employees and managers of the Saint-Gobain glassworks. Characteristic of town planning at the time, it is the subject of guided tours to understand its wealth. Information on +33 3 44 44 03 73 or +33 3 44 90 61 00.
In terms of culture, the former "hotel cinema" built in 1922 by the Saint-Gobain company for employee leisure was bought by the municipality and renovated preserving its original architecture.
The cultural space now includes a media library (which hosts readings, meetings, etc.), a performance hall (for theater and concerts), and it regularly houses exhibitions. In addition, cinema screenings take place every Tuesday, with screenings reserved for young audiences and of the film club type. Information on +33 3 44 90 61 26.
For athletes, note that the small town has a swimming pool with a 25 m basin. Price: 2 and 3.20 euros. Contact on +33 3 44 76 10 15. In addition, at the Edouard Pinchon complex, indoor or outdoor tennis courts, fields and a city stadium are accessible to visitors. Information on +33 3 44 76 54 80.
Tree-lined and beautifully flowered, several parks and gardens are propitious for walking, in particular the Parc des Effaloises in the south of the town, but also the Parc de la Roseraie and the Jardin de l Space Angele Fontaine. These islands of greenery also include spaces for children.
For hiking enthusiasts, the banks of the Oise and its canal, which benefit from a rich biodiversity and make up a bucolic landscape, are ideal. For larger loops, you can easily access from Thourotte the Cité des Bateliers, to the south, or the large wooded areas of the forest of Compiègne and the forest of the Domaine de Laigue. Maps and information on +33 3 44 40 01 00 or +33 3 44 44 03 73.
