Esnandes
Encyclopedia
Esnandes is a French commune in the Charente-Maritime
department in the Poitou-Charentes
region
in southwestern France
. Its inhabitants are called Esnandais.
Esnandes is famous for its fortified church. In 1622 the Council of the City of La Rochelle ordered its destruction in place for a Catholic stronghold. Its main activity include mussel farming which dates back to the 13th century. Esnades is also known as birthplace of the first bouchots.
The names of the trustees of the parish have come down to us:
with the highest population in Charente-Maritime but also in the region of Pointou-Charentes
To this date, the façade still retains its basic Romanesque style, from the twelfth century, which is topped and framed by two guerites which form a complete set of reinforcements. The bell tower
is square-shaped and pierced with narrow windows. A spiral staircase gives access to walkways equipped with aliasing, machicolations and bartizans. The east wall is pierced by three windows [2].
A postern and a ditch were added to the defense later.
The nave is vaulted with warheads based on columns and form three ships and five spans with flat bed.
The two Gothic sacristies both are located behind the side altars.
Religious wars have caused extensive damage. After the fall of La Rochelle (28 October 1628), repairs began in 1629 and continued until 1740. Repairs carried throughout the building and the vault of the nave and the choir. The church was restored again starting in 1864. Coverage was repeated in 1996 [3].
Mussel farms culture mussels, and approximately 10 000 tons of shellfish products per year come from the Bay of Aiguillon, which has been producing shellfish since 1235. The mussel farms of Esnandes (Labellisée Musée de France) reflect the strong local heritage and know-how. To better understand this activity and the environment around them, the House of mussel farms offers films, a dynamic and interactive museum and exhibitions temporary (or on themes close to the region, environment, fisheries, cultural exhibits is conducted jointly with various associations of the township.)
Thus, young and old can follow Mollux, the mascot, throughout the visit (in the form of comics for children) to understand the biology of mold, its environment and its predators, and the production and marketing of the black pearl of our coasts.
Charente-Maritime
Charente-Maritime is a department on the west coast of France named after the Charente River.- History :Previously a part of Saintonge, Charente-Inférieure was one of the 83 original departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
department in the Poitou-Charentes
Poitou-Charentes
Poitou-Charentes is an administrative region in central western France comprising four departments: Charente, Charente-Maritime, Deux-Sèvres and Vienne. The regional capital is Poitiers.-Politics:The regional council is composed of 56 members...
region
Régions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
in southwestern 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...
. Its inhabitants are called Esnandais.
Geography
This small town north of La Rochelle faces the bay of Aiguillon (former Gulf Pictons). It sits on the cliffs overlooking the bays linked to mussels and oysters cultures which are still surviving to this day.History
The first written mention of Esnandes dates to 920. In 1987, archaeological excavations traced the history of Esnandes back several millennia. Prehistoric sites, including a salt mine, lie behind the church. The Roman occupation left traces in the form of a Roman villa at the Saint-Clement.Esnandes is famous for its fortified church. In 1622 the Council of the City of La Rochelle ordered its destruction in place for a Catholic stronghold. Its main activity include mussel farming which dates back to the 13th century. Esnades is also known as birthplace of the first bouchots.
The names of the trustees of the parish have come down to us:
- 1737 François Dugas, mussel farmer
- 1754 Mathurin Michelon, innkeeper
- 1754-1759 François Maudet
- 1759-1765 Jacques Blanchard , merchant, elected on August 19, 1759
- 1766 Jean-Baptiste Mesnard, merchant, elected on January 24, 1766
- 1781 Jacques Choyau
- 1782-1787Jean Maudet, died on July 13, 1787 at age 56
- 1787-1789 Charles Valton, mussel farmer
Consolidated city–county status
Esnades is one of the 18 communes part of the Communauté d'agglomération de La Rochelle. Not only is it the consolidated city-countyConsolidated city-county
In United States local government, a consolidated city–county is a city and county that have been merged into one unified jurisdiction. As such it is simultaneously a city, which is a municipal corporation, and a county, which is an administrative division of a state...
with the highest population in Charente-Maritime but also in the region of Pointou-Charentes
Economy
- 23 mussel producing molds Bouchot the "Charron" [1]
- 5 companies in the industry, 12 in construction, 6 shops, 8 services. 8 farms
- a baker, a fishmonger, a grocery store, a masseur physiotherapist, a butcher / deli, a dentist and a banking terminal automatic place Thorens-Glières.
- two doctors, a pharmacist.
- A post office (for some time now)
Religious heritage
The Priory of St. Martin or Church of St. Martin belonged to the Royal Abbey of Saint-Jean-d'Angély since 1029. The original building dates to the eleventh and twelfth century but was rebuilt and fortified in the fourteenth century. Since then, it has been modified several times. In 1840, the church was registered as a historic monument.To this date, the façade still retains its basic Romanesque style, from the twelfth century, which is topped and framed by two guerites which form a complete set of reinforcements. The bell tower
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
is square-shaped and pierced with narrow windows. A spiral staircase gives access to walkways equipped with aliasing, machicolations and bartizans. The east wall is pierced by three windows [2].
A postern and a ditch were added to the defense later.
The nave is vaulted with warheads based on columns and form three ships and five spans with flat bed.
The two Gothic sacristies both are located behind the side altars.
Religious wars have caused extensive damage. After the fall of La Rochelle (28 October 1628), repairs began in 1629 and continued until 1740. Repairs carried throughout the building and the vault of the nave and the choir. The church was restored again starting in 1864. Coverage was repeated in 1996 [3].
Cultural Heritage
The House of Mussel Culture 'Mytiliculture'Mussel farms culture mussels, and approximately 10 000 tons of shellfish products per year come from the Bay of Aiguillon, which has been producing shellfish since 1235. The mussel farms of Esnandes (Labellisée Musée de France) reflect the strong local heritage and know-how. To better understand this activity and the environment around them, the House of mussel farms offers films, a dynamic and interactive museum and exhibitions temporary (or on themes close to the region, environment, fisheries, cultural exhibits is conducted jointly with various associations of the township.)
Thus, young and old can follow Mollux, the mascot, throughout the visit (in the form of comics for children) to understand the biology of mold, its environment and its predators, and the production and marketing of the black pearl of our coasts.
Personalities
- Guy lords and Amaury de Vivonne (crusades of 1129 and 1194) who became kings of Cyprus and Jerusalem.
- The family of Alcide d'Orbigny, French zoologist lived in a house in Esnandes.
- Georges Simenon's books which are often referred to Esnandes and its neighboring