Where it all began
A love story, a passion foranimals and old stone buildings.A meeting
It all begins with a meeting — that of Jérôme Maillard and Marie-Annick de Thézy during their childhood in Picardy. Both natives of the Baie de Somme area and childhood friends, they explored the region’s paths on horseback. It was only years later that they reunited, married, and imagined their life project together.
A shared passion
It was through their two shared passions — horse riding and historic stone buildings — that they settled at the LieuDieu estate in 1986. A former Cistercian abbey founded in the 12th century and rebuilt in the 16th century, it became the foundation of their vision: to restore this historic site, share their passion, and open it to as many people as possible.
The founders: Marie-Annick & Jérôme Maillard
Marie-Annick was the first to act. In 1986, the former abbey became an equestrian center, with just 8 to 12 ponies at the time. Soon after, the old buildings were transformed into group accommodations to welcome school trips and holiday camps.
After 20 years, the estate evolves in 2008
For 20 years, Marie-Annick developed the activity by improving facilities and gradually moving the equestrian center from the main courtyard to the Monks’ Garden.
In 2008, the adventure took a new turn. Jérôme sold his basket-making business to join Marie-Annick full-time in their shared project. Together, they decided to give the estate new momentum, moving towards a “nature sports resort” spirit.
A bright future
The project was rewritten on the same foundations, but with the desire to welcome couples, families and friends into this vast green space. Unusual accommodations and on-site activities gradually took shape, year after year, to become what LieuDieu is today.
Our concept
At LieuDieu, we have been defending nature and its benefits for over 35 years. Our countryside estate follows the philosophy of the abbey’s founders centuries ago: to recharge, to learn and to pass on knowledge.
As you may have noticed, the estate has evolved since 1986 — and so has the world, its mindset, its expectations and its needs.Comme vous avez pu le voir plus haut, le domaine a connu plusieurs évolutions depuis 1986. Et si nous avons évolué, le monde également, ses mentalités, ses envies, ses besoins.
A growing awareness
Like many others, we have become aware of these changes, especially the need to move towards a more responsible world, more conscious of the nature around us and the necessity to preserve it.
For us, protecting the planet is the challenge of our generation. While most people today understand that change is needed, few — ourselves included — know exactly how to achieve it.
Recharge, learn and pass on
We believe one of the first steps is to change our consumption habits — to learn, relearn and pass on these new ways to as many people as possible. Without denying our past, but by combining technology and common sense to build a better world.
While our primary goal is to welcome you so you can enjoy the estate, reconnect with nature, relax through our activities and discover the surrounding area, we also believe it is easier to raise awareness and learn how to protect nature by being in direct contact with it.
That is why, through activities, encounters with our teams and partnerships, we strive to share what we know and continue learning, relearning and passing on the right practices — together building a better world.