Doué-la-Fontaine
Encyclopedia
Doué-la-Fontaine is a commune
in the Maine-et-Loire
department in western France
.
It is located in the heart of Anjou
, a few kilometres from the great château
x of the Loire Valley
.
, identifiable in a document of 631 as Castrum Doe. The foundations of a 6th-century circular baptistery
beside the natural springs has been uncovered beneath the ruins of the pre-Romanesque
church of Saint-Léger, itself destroyed in the 17th century. It was the site of a Gallo-Roman villa
that was inherited by the Carolingians. In his villa here, Theoduadum palatium, Louis the Pious
was informed of the death of his father Charlemagne
in 814 and hurried to Aachen
to be crowned. The villa was turned into a motte
in the 10th century, around which the village developed, in part in excavated troglodyte
dwellings. In 1055 the site was identified as Doedus, then Docium in 1177.
Doué-la-Fontaine is the site of the oldest habitable donjon (keep
) in France, dating back to the year 900. No traces of Doué's medieval fortifications remains, save the names of "gates" given to certain streets. The castle is widely believed to have been the first European castle to be built out of stone (at around 950).
Nearby are the troglodyte
dwellings, where the inhabitants took refuges from the Normans
, and commercial mushroom
-growing caves. The stone of Doué-la-Fontaine was quarried for sarcophagi
4 km (2.5 mi) from the town. The Zoo of Doué-la-Fontaine is partly built within the network of the troglodytes sites and dwellings. Recently, a cave containing sarcophagi was unearthed.
In 1793, Doué-la-Fontaine was the site of massacres during the counter-Revolutionary Revolt in the Vendée, suppressed by General Santerre
.
capital of France, a "Festival of the Rose" is held in July of each year where in one park alone more than 800 varieties can be seen.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Maine-et-Loire
Maine-et-Loire
Maine-et-Loire is a department in west-central France, in the Pays de la Loire region.- History :Maine-et-Loire is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. Originally it was called Mayenne-et-Loire, but its name was changed to Maine-et-Loire in 1791....
department in western France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
It is located in the heart of Anjou
Anjou
Anjou is a former county , duchy and province centred on the city of Angers in the lower Loire Valley of western France. It corresponds largely to the present-day département of Maine-et-Loire...
, a few kilometres from the great château
Château
A château is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor or a country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally—and still most frequently—in French-speaking regions...
x of the Loire Valley
Loire Valley
The Loire Valley , spanning , is located in the middle stretch of the Loire River in central France. Its area comprises approximately . It is referred to as the Cradle of the French Language, and the Garden of France due to the abundance of vineyards, fruit orchards, and artichoke, asparagus, and...
.
Sights
The town was already Vetus Doadum ("Old Doadum"), Teotuadum castrum, in Late AntiquityLate Antiquity
Late Antiquity is a periodization used by historians to describe the time of transition from Classical Antiquity to the Middle Ages, in both mainland Europe and the Mediterranean world. Precise boundaries for the period are a matter of debate, but noted historian of the period Peter Brown proposed...
, identifiable in a document of 631 as Castrum Doe. The foundations of a 6th-century circular baptistery
Baptistery
In Christian architecture the baptistry or baptistery is the separate centrally-planned structure surrounding the baptismal font. The baptistry may be incorporated within the body of a church or cathedral and be provided with an altar as a chapel...
beside the natural springs has been uncovered beneath the ruins of the pre-Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
church of Saint-Léger, itself destroyed in the 17th century. It was the site of a Gallo-Roman villa
Roman villa
A Roman villa is a villa that was built or lived in during the Roman republic and the Roman Empire. A villa was originally a Roman country house built for the upper class...
that was inherited by the Carolingians. In his villa here, Theoduadum palatium, Louis the Pious
Louis the Pious
Louis the Pious , also called the Fair, and the Debonaire, was the King of Aquitaine from 781. He was also King of the Franks and co-Emperor with his father, Charlemagne, from 813...
was informed of the death of his father Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
in 814 and hurried to Aachen
Aachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
to be crowned. The villa was turned into a motte
Motte-and-bailey
A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle, with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised earthwork called a motte, accompanied by an enclosed courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade...
in the 10th century, around which the village developed, in part in excavated troglodyte
Caveman
A caveman or troglodyte is a stock character based upon widespread concepts of the way in which early prehistoric humans may have looked and behaved...
dwellings. In 1055 the site was identified as Doedus, then Docium in 1177.
Doué-la-Fontaine is the site of the oldest habitable donjon (keep
Keep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
) in France, dating back to the year 900. No traces of Doué's medieval fortifications remains, save the names of "gates" given to certain streets. The castle is widely believed to have been the first European castle to be built out of stone (at around 950).
Nearby are the troglodyte
Caveman
A caveman or troglodyte is a stock character based upon widespread concepts of the way in which early prehistoric humans may have looked and behaved...
dwellings, where the inhabitants took refuges from the Normans
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
, and commercial mushroom
Mushroom
A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source. The standard for the name "mushroom" is the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus; hence the word "mushroom" is most often applied to those fungi that...
-growing caves. The stone of Doué-la-Fontaine was quarried for sarcophagi
Sarcophagus
A sarcophagus is a funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved or cut from stone. The word "sarcophagus" comes from the Greek σαρξ sarx meaning "flesh", and φαγειν phagein meaning "to eat", hence sarkophagus means "flesh-eating"; from the phrase lithos sarkophagos...
4 km (2.5 mi) from the town. The Zoo of Doué-la-Fontaine is partly built within the network of the troglodytes sites and dwellings. Recently, a cave containing sarcophagi was unearthed.
In 1793, Doué-la-Fontaine was the site of massacres during the counter-Revolutionary Revolt in the Vendée, suppressed by General Santerre
Antoine Joseph Santerre
Antoine Joseph Santerre was a businessman and general during the French Revolution.-Early life:The Santerre family moved from St. Michel- en Thierrache to Paris in 1747 where they purchased a brewery known as the Brasserie de la Magdeleine...
.
Events
Known as the roseRose
A rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species. They form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers are large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows...
capital of France, a "Festival of the Rose" is held in July of each year where in one park alone more than 800 varieties can be seen.
Notable people
- Anthony RéveillèreAnthony RéveillèreAnthony Réveillère is a French footballer. A pure product of the Rennes youth academy with which he débuted professionally, he plays as an attacking right-back with Olympique Lyonnais and France national team.-Career:...
(born November 10, 1979), football player, a defender at the Olympique LyonnaisOlympique LyonnaisOlympique Lyonnais is a French association football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1. The club was formed as Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1899, according to many supporters and sport historians, but was nationally established as a club in 1950. The...
.
External links
- History of the village and a collection of photos including a Carolingian residence and an ancient stone amphitheatre.
- History of Doué-la-Fontaine
- Fact sheet
- Community of Communes of Doué-la-Fontaine