The Tufa Crosses: Ercourt - Franleu

The 44 Tufa crosses are spread over three routes. On this circuit from Ercourt to Franleu there are 17 crosses.
These tufa crosses were unknown to the general public until François Danzel d’Aumont, president of the Société d’Émulation d’Abbeville, made the first survey around 1960. The comprehensive survey was carried out by Abel Lequien, who cycled all the roads of Vimeu in 1996 with all the indications to locate them. We owe these crosses to the faith and piety of our ancestors. The profane aspect has replaced the sacred one. These small tufa crosses are fragile, but they are now better protected. The tufa crosses of Vimeu retain their mystery; there is no trace in the archives and no oral tradition. These are a particularity of Vimeu. Tufa is a soft and porous rock formed by the calcareous deposits of spring water. There are two tufa quarries, one in Tœufle and one in Arrest.