Les Essarts, Vendée
Encyclopedia
Les Essarts is a commune
in the Vendée
department in the Pays de la Loire
department in the Pays de la Loire
region
in western France
.
, 55km from les Sables d'Olonne and 30km from Le Puy du Fou
.
, there was a lord in the middle of the town, and a fort was built. During the war in the Vendée, on June 25th, 1795, a battle took place in the Les Essarts fort. Charette
hired Louis Pageot, one of his lieutenants, to surprise the garrison of Les Essarts. 300 republicans were caught, and then shot after the execution of 748 chouans.
During World War II
, Germans occupied the Moulin de l'Ansonnière.
The story of the castle starts at the roman period, according to reasearches made in 1935, which led to the creation of a « Suovetaurilia
» : a sacrificial altar dedicated to March. Then, the first fort in Les Essarts (a wooden castle) was made at the feudal period. Starting from the 18th century, lords living around started to build a castle in stone. During the war in the Vendée (1793-1796, counterrevolution in the Vendée region of France during the French Revolution) the castle was partly destroyed. Descendents of the Lespinay and De Rougé families still own it.
The St Pierre Church:
The St Pierre Church was built in the 19th century. Before that a roman church was at this place, built in the 11th and 12th centuries. It was burnt during the war in the Vendée by the Republican forces. The entrance of the previous church still exists, it has been transported stone by stone in the castle’s park.
The Crypt:
The crypt
, located near from the sacristy, was built in the 12th century. It is referenced as a historical monument since 1971.
The previous train station:
In 1898, a railroad was built to link Cholet
to Les Sables d’Olonne. Between La Roche sur Yon and Les Herbiers
, there was the Les Essarts train station. The train disappeared in Les Essarts in 1950 and has been restored as a place to live.
L’Ansonnière Mill:
It is one of the last Mill that we could found before in this town. In 1926, Alcide Gautron stopped his activity. During WWII, German people occupied it and transformed it in an observatory point. In 1992, the Mill was bought by the town hall and restored.
The town of Les Essarts is also the headquarter of the cycling team Vendée U Pays de la Loire, and of the professional cycling team Europcar
(the leader of this team, Thomas Voeckler, ended up being 4th at the end of the Tour de France
in 2011).
in 2005 and in 2011.
First, Les Essarts was the ending town of the 2nd stage of the Tour de France 2005, which was linking Challans
to Les Essarts.
Then on July 3rd 2011, the 2nd stage of the Tour de France 2011, a team-time trial which had Les Essarts as a starting and an ending point! The departure was in the Old Castle, then they went to Boulogne, Dompierre-sur-Yon
and La Merlatière
, and came back to les Essarts.
in Germany since 1991 and with Bicester
in the United Kingdom since 1992. Neunkirchen-Seelscheid is located in the Land Nordrhein-Westfalen, near from Cologne, and Bicester in the Oxford region.
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 Vendée
Vendée
The Vendée is a department in the Pays-de-la-Loire region in west central France, on the Atlantic Ocean. The name Vendée is taken from the Vendée river which runs through the south-eastern part of the department.-History:...
department in the Pays de la Loire
Pays de la Loire
Pays de la Loire is one of the 27 regions of France. It is one of the regions created in the late 20th century to serve as a zone of influence for its capital, Nantes, one of a handful so-called "balancing metropolises" ¹...
department in the Pays de la Loire
Pays de la Loire
Pays de la Loire is one of the 27 regions of France. It is one of the regions created in the late 20th century to serve as a zone of influence for its capital, Nantes, one of a handful so-called "balancing metropolises" ¹...
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 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...
.
Geography
The town of Les Essarts is located between the A83 and the A87 freeways, between La Roche sur Yon and Les HerbiersLes Herbiers
Les Herbiers is a commune in the Vendée department in the Pays de la Loire department in the Pays de la Loire region in western France.-References:*...
, 55km from les Sables d'Olonne and 30km from Le Puy du Fou
Puy du Fou
Le Puy du Fou is a historical theme park in Les Epesses in the heart of the Vendée region of Western France...
.
History
The city was built at the roman period. At the Middle AgesMiddle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, there was a lord in the middle of the town, and a fort was built. During the war in the Vendée, on June 25th, 1795, a battle took place in the Les Essarts fort. Charette
François de Charette
François Athanase de Charette de la Contrie was a French soldier and politician, one of the leaders of the bloody events termed the "Revolt in the Vendée"...
hired Louis Pageot, one of his lieutenants, to surprise the garrison of Les Essarts. 300 republicans were caught, and then shot after the execution of 748 chouans.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Germans occupied the Moulin de l'Ansonnière.
Demography
In 2008, Les Essarts counted 4946 inhabitants (a 18% raise comparing to 1999). In 1800, date people started to record the number of inhabitants there, there was 1844 inhabitants in the town.Historical Places
The Old Castle :The story of the castle starts at the roman period, according to reasearches made in 1935, which led to the creation of a « Suovetaurilia
Suovetaurilia
The suovetaurilia or suovitaurilia was one of the most sacred and traditional rites of Roman religion: the sacrifice of a pig , a sheep and a bull to the deity Mars to bless and purify land ....
» : a sacrificial altar dedicated to March. Then, the first fort in Les Essarts (a wooden castle) was made at the feudal period. Starting from the 18th century, lords living around started to build a castle in stone. During the war in the Vendée (1793-1796, counterrevolution in the Vendée region of France during the French Revolution) the castle was partly destroyed. Descendents of the Lespinay and De Rougé families still own it.
The St Pierre Church:
The St Pierre Church was built in the 19th century. Before that a roman church was at this place, built in the 11th and 12th centuries. It was burnt during the war in the Vendée by the Republican forces. The entrance of the previous church still exists, it has been transported stone by stone in the castle’s park.
The Crypt:
The crypt
Crypt
In architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
, located near from the sacristy, was built in the 12th century. It is referenced as a historical monument since 1971.
The previous train station:
In 1898, a railroad was built to link Cholet
Cholet
Cholet is a commune of western France in the Maine-et-Loire department. It was the capital of military Vendée.-Geography:Cholet stands on an eminence on the right bank of the Moine, which used to be crossed by a bridge from the fifteenth century...
to Les Sables d’Olonne. Between La Roche sur Yon and Les Herbiers
Les Herbiers
Les Herbiers is a commune in the Vendée department in the Pays de la Loire department in the Pays de la Loire region in western France.-References:*...
, there was the Les Essarts train station. The train disappeared in Les Essarts in 1950 and has been restored as a place to live.
L’Ansonnière Mill:
It is one of the last Mill that we could found before in this town. In 1926, Alcide Gautron stopped his activity. During WWII, German people occupied it and transformed it in an observatory point. In 1992, the Mill was bought by the town hall and restored.
Clubs
The town of Les Essarts has various associations with diverse goals. Thus, you can find sport clubs, like Les Korrigans dancing club, the soccer team, or the basketball team, cultural and leisure clubs, like a music club etc. Some clubs are working in the agricultural world, others in the social world, like Telethon. Also, some clubs are representing the military or the education.The town of Les Essarts is also the headquarter of the cycling team Vendée U Pays de la Loire, and of the professional cycling team Europcar
Europcar
Europcar is a Paris based car rental company owned by the French investment company Eurazeo, after its sale by the Volkswagen group. The company was founded in Paris in 1949...
(the leader of this team, Thomas Voeckler, ended up being 4th at the end of the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
in 2011).
Events
The town of Les Essarts was a stage city of the Tour de FranceTour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
in 2005 and in 2011.
First, Les Essarts was the ending town of the 2nd stage of the Tour de France 2005, which was linking Challans
Challans
Challans is a commune in the Vendée département in the Pays de la Loire région in western France....
to Les Essarts.
Then on July 3rd 2011, the 2nd stage of the Tour de France 2011, a team-time trial which had Les Essarts as a starting and an ending point! The departure was in the Old Castle, then they went to Boulogne, Dompierre-sur-Yon
Dompierre-sur-Yon
Dompierre-sur-Yon is a commune in the Vendée department in the Pays de la Loire department in the Pays de la Loire region in western France.-References:*...
and La Merlatière
La Merlatière
La Merlatière is a commune in the Vendée department in the Pays de la Loire region in western France.-References:*...
, and came back to les Essarts.
Partnerships with other towns
Les Essarts has a partnership with Neunkirchen-SeelscheidNeunkirchen-Seelscheid
Neunkirchen-Seelscheid is a municipality in the Rhein-Sieg district in the southern part of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Beside the two principal places Neunkirchen and Seelscheid there are numerous smaller localities among the municipality....
in Germany since 1991 and with Bicester
Bicester
Bicester is a town and civil parish in the Cherwell district of northeastern Oxfordshire in England.This historic market centre is one of the fastest growing towns in Oxfordshire Development has been favoured by its proximity to junction 9 of the M40 motorway linking it to London, Birmingham and...
in the United Kingdom since 1992. Neunkirchen-Seelscheid is located in the Land Nordrhein-Westfalen, near from Cologne, and Bicester in the Oxford region.