Uncover the fascinating story of how this remote wilderness in northeastern Pennsylvania became a refuge for nobility fleeing the French Revolution.
The Marie Antonette Overlook towers above a bend in the Susquehanna River that was once the site of French Azylum. French Azylum was a planned settlement in the remote northeastern Pennsylvania built as a refuge for nobility fleeing the French Revolution as well as slave uprisings in Santo Domingo, Haiti. In 1793 Robert Morris, John Nicholson, Stephen Girard of Philadelphia and other investors purchased 1600 acres of land to serve as the refuge. Three hundred acres were laid out as a town in the horseshoe bend of the Susquehanna visible from the overlook. The largest structure, a two-story log house, La Grande Maison was rumored to have been built in the hopes that the Marie Antonette would settle there, had she escaped the revolution. Talleyrand and Louis Phillippe (future King of France) visited French Asylum.
The venture was short-lived, in large part due to bankruptcy of the financiers. Of the 413 residential lots laid out only 50 houses were built and by the late 1790s most of the residents of French Azylum dispersed. None of the original structures remain. Today the site is occupied by farmland.
From the Marie Antonette overlook you can see the once site of French Azylum in the plain of the Susquehanna below. The view is blocked somewhat by trees as you can see in the photo below. Additionally, the overlook shares a parking lot with a bar and grill which is fine if you want to stop for a meal, but it detracts from the atmosphere of the place. We were also disappointed by the amount of trash lying about.
From the Marie Antonette Overlook, you can cross the Susquehanna at Wyalusing to the south or Wysox to the north and visit the site of French Azylum. Although no original buildings remain there is a small museum, a reconstructed log house, and an exposed foundation of one of the original structures. You can also tour the LaPort House, the summer home of the LaPorte Family built in 1836. The plain in the bend of the Susquehanna is noteworthy for its seclusion, being hemmed in by the Susquehanna and cliffs on three sides and a steep hill to the rear. A few farms and residential properties occupy the site with one road forming loop in and out of the plain.
The Marie Antonette Overlook is located at 41.73102, -76.29722.
French Azylum is located at 41.73816, -76.31097.
While you are in the area, be sure to visit the superb view from Wyalusing Rocks just 3 miles south on Route 6.
Also, be sure to check out our other adventures.
