Poussay
Encyclopedia
Poussay is a commune
in the Vosges
department in Lorraine
in northeastern France
.
Inhabitants are called Porsuavitains (from the Latin
version of Poussay, Portus Suavis).
. The countryside is diverse, combining a large number of residual hillocks with the valley of the River Madon
. The village itself is sited on a raised shelf on the left bank of the river in the Madon valley, 2 kilometres (1 mi) to the north of Mirecourt
. It overlooks a meandering section of river set in a richly watered arboreal tapestry of that includes willow
hedge
s, poplars and alder
.
outcrop the Madon Valley, and also positioned across the old road from Nancy, that the great essayist Montaigne
stayed around 1580 before he proceeded to Plombières
en route for Italy
.
Poussey has a rich history: each epoch has left traces, such as the ancient Roman road
and the Merovingian era cemetery.
The Bishop of Toul between 996 and 1019 was a man named Berthold
who founded here a Benedictine
monastery
. It was the fourth such foundation in Lorraine
, after similar foundations at Remiremont
, Épinal
et Bouxières-aux-Dames
. The monastery later became the Chapter of Poussay, a form of béguinage
for unmarried pious noblewomen.
In 1598, with the energetic support of the curé of nearby Mattaincourt
, Peter Fourier
(who was later canonised) and thanks to Catherine of Fresnel and Judith of Aspremont, two cannonesses of the Poussay Chapter, the village welcomed its first girls' school 'for rich and poor girls alike' ('tant pauvres que riches'). The Blessed Alix Le Clerc and her colleagues imparted the necessary elements of a good education to young girls: this initiative inspired the establishment of a network of similar schools across Lorraine.
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 Vosges
Vosges
Vosges is a French department, named after the local mountain range. It contains the hometown of Joan of Arc, Domrémy.-History:The Vosges department is one of the original 83 departments of France, created on February 9, 1790 during the French Revolution. It was made of territories that had been...
department in Lorraine
Lorraine (région)
Lorraine is one of the 27 régions of France. The administrative region has two cities of equal importance, Metz and Nancy. Metz is considered to be the official capital since that is where the regional parliament is situated...
in northeastern 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...
.
Inhabitants are called Porsuavitains (from the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
version of Poussay, Portus Suavis).
Geography
The commune is positioned on the plain that adjoins the Vosges MountainsVosges mountains
For the department of France of the same name, see Vosges.The Vosges are a range of low mountains in eastern France, near its border with Germany. They extend along the west side of the Rhine valley in a northnortheast direction, mainly from Belfort to Saverne...
. The countryside is diverse, combining a large number of residual hillocks with the valley of the River Madon
Madon
The Madon is a long river in the Vosges and Meurthe-et-Moselle départements, northeastern France. Its source is near Vioménil. It flows generally north...
. The village itself is sited on a raised shelf on the left bank of the river in the Madon valley, 2 kilometres (1 mi) to the north of Mirecourt
Mirecourt
Mirecourt is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France. Mirecourt is known for lace-making and the manufacture of musical instruments, particularly those of the violin family...
. It overlooks a meandering section of river set in a richly watered arboreal tapestry of that includes willow
Willow
Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
hedge
Hedge
Hedge may refer to:* Hedge or hedgerow, line of closely spaced shrubs planted to act as a barrier* Hedge , investment made to limit loss* Hedge , intentionally non-committal or ambiguous sentence fragments-See also:...
s, poplars and alder
Alder
Alder is the common name of a genus of flowering plants belonging to the birch family . The genus comprises about 30 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, few reaching large size, distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone and in the Americas along the Andes southwards to...
.
History
It was in the village, dominating from its a limestoneLimestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
outcrop the Madon Valley, and also positioned across the old road from Nancy, that the great essayist Montaigne
Michel de Montaigne
Lord Michel Eyquem de Montaigne , February 28, 1533 – September 13, 1592, was one of the most influential writers of the French Renaissance, known for popularising the essay as a literary genre and is popularly thought of as the father of Modern Skepticism...
stayed around 1580 before he proceeded to Plombières
Plombières
Plombières is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège. On January 1, 2006, Plombières had a total population of 9,672. The total area is 53.17 km² which gives a population density of 182 inhabitants per km². The municipality Plombières consists of the villages...
en route for Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
Poussey has a rich history: each epoch has left traces, such as the ancient Roman road
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
and the Merovingian era cemetery.
The Bishop of Toul between 996 and 1019 was a man named Berthold
Berthold
Berthold or Bertolt is a Germanic given name, from berht "bright" and wald "rule".-People with the given name Berthold:*Saint Berthold, 12th century, founder of the Carmelites*Berthold, Duke of Bavaria*Berthold of Garsten, 12th century prelate...
who founded here a Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
. It was the fourth such foundation in Lorraine
Lorraine (province)
The Duchy of Upper Lorraine was an historical duchy roughly corresponding with the present-day northeastern Lorraine region of France, including parts of modern Luxembourg and Germany. The main cities were Metz, Verdun, and the historic capital Nancy....
, after similar foundations at Remiremont
Remiremont
Remiremont is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France.Inhabitants are called Romarimontains.-Geography:Remiremont is located on the Moselle, close to its confluence with the Moselotte, southeast of Épinal...
, Épinal
Épinal
Épinal is a commune in northeastern France and the capital of the Vosges department. Inhabitants are known as Spinaliens.-Geography:The commune has a land area of 59.24 km²...
et Bouxières-aux-Dames
Bouxières-aux-Dames
Bouxières-aux-Dames is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.Its inhabitants are called Bouxiérois.-Geography:...
. The monastery later became the Chapter of Poussay, a form of béguinage
Béguinage
A béguinage or begijnhof is a collection of small buildings used by Beguines. These were various lay sisterhoods of the Roman Catholic Church, founded in the 13th century in the Low Countries, comprising religious women who sought to serve God without retiring from the world.-Description:A...
for unmarried pious noblewomen.
In 1598, with the energetic support of the curé of nearby Mattaincourt
Mattaincourt
Mattaincourt is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France.Inhabitants are called Mattaincurtiens.-Geography:Mattaincourt lies on the southern part of the Lorraine Plateau, in a wooded area of gentle hills known as the Vôge. It is some to the east-northeast of Vittel and...
, Peter Fourier
Peter Fourier
Saint Peter Fourier, C.R.S.A., was a French canon regular who is honored as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church, who had served as a pastor in Mattaincourt , and who also helped to found a religious congregation of canonesses dedicated to the care of poor children...
(who was later canonised) and thanks to Catherine of Fresnel and Judith of Aspremont, two cannonesses of the Poussay Chapter, the village welcomed its first girls' school 'for rich and poor girls alike' ('tant pauvres que riches'). The Blessed Alix Le Clerc and her colleagues imparted the necessary elements of a good education to young girls: this initiative inspired the establishment of a network of similar schools across Lorraine.