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Enjoying the current round of Christmas markets?   They appear in all sizes, some lasting one day, some two, the larger ones a month or more.  They all offer a little bit of kindred spirit, joviality and Christmas cheer.   But has the financial crisis hit one or two?

 

At St-Loup-Lamairé (sometimes known as St-Loup-sur-Thouet) in the heart of Deux Sevres, their famous Christmas market takes place the first weekend in December.  Compared to last year, this year’s Christmas market did appear to have shrivelled in size. You could not however miss the beautiful sights, smells and sounds of the various food and crafts on offer and St Loup still managed to pull the crowds who were there in their multitudes.

 

St-Loup-Lamaire is a  beautiful town of narrow cobbled streets, gabled houses, a beautiful chateau, a 16^th century church and wonderful rolling river.  The wide expanse and fast running water is the result of the convergence of the Rivers Thouet and Cebron – which at one time provided the town’s defence. The great gabled houses with their tall shuttered windows and gently projecting upper storeys, speak of a time gone by.

 

During the 16^th century the town was important for the tanning and cloth industries, which made many of its’ residents wealthy.  Visit at Christmas market time and you will have a chance to see the interior of some of these – with their imposing, crested chimneybreasts and stunning stone spiral staircases.

 

St Loup has many famous names from its glorious past - most recently as early as the 19^th century.  The main cobbled street through the town is Rue Theophane Venard, named after Jean-Theophane Venard who was born 180 years ago at number 5.  Jean became a Catholic missionary, studied at the nearby college at Doue-la-Fontaine and at the Paris Seminary and was ordained a priest on the 5 June 1852.  He travelled to Indo-China to practice missionary work and settled at West Tonkin (northern Vietnam).  Shortly after his arrival however, an edict was issued against Christians who were forced to go into hiding.  Venard ignored these warnings and in November 1860, he was arrested, tried and later beheaded.  In June 1988 Venard was made a saint by Pope John Paul II.

 

Further down at 41 Rue Theophane Venard was the home of Jean Arouet, the brother of one of France’s most famous writers – Voltaire. The house of Arouet – for that was the family name and is also associated with the nearby town of Airvault -  was known as the Grande Tannerie.

 

At the end of this marvellous cobbled street is the impressive chateau of St Loup.  Although original documents show one Drogon to be first Lord of Saint Loup, the original fortress was built by the Dercé family.   All that now exists is the 14^th century keep and adjoining 15^th century buildings.  In this keep the French king, Jean le Bon was kept prisoner following his capture by the Black Prince after the battle of Poitiers in 1356 (see Moncontour).

 

During the 16^th century the chateau was owned by the famous Gouffier family.  Artus Gouffier was the king’s valet and was given considerable land for his services. But it was Claude Gouffier and his son Louis who built the 17^th century Renaissance chateau that stands proudly today.  A member of the Gouffier family inspired the writer Perrault to write Puss in Boots (see story of Oiron).   In honour of King Henri IV this later chateau was designed in an “H” shape.  However over time many adaptations were made to the chateau, with a bell tower being added much later.

 

Later owners include Nicholas Lepage 1645; Jacques Boyer de la Boissiere 1708.  Jean Haran de Borda purchased it in 1767, his nephew Jean d’Abadie sold it in 1894 to the Maussabre family - whose distant ancestor fought in the crusades, was badly mutilated and became known as ‘Le Mal Sabre’.   In 1983 the Countess de Maussabre left it to the League against Cancer who sold part of it to famous 1960’s singer Chantal Goya and husband Jean-Jacques Debout.  In 1990 the present owner Count Charles Henri de Bartillat purchased the chateau and began renovations. It is today a hotel and conference centre. The grounds are amazing and include such things as an orangery, a potager, the Canal Pavilion and a dovecot. 

By the way the translation for Loup is ‘wolf’!

Festivals and events:

Sculpture and painting: Last weekend of June

Vide greniers: Last weekend of July

“The walls have ears”:  17^th to 21^st August

Christmas market: 1^st weekend in December

Nearby:

St Loup - hotel/ restaurant,  creperie, boulangerie, gites, Olivia’s cellar – selling English teas!

Airvault  6 km

Moncontour 17 km

Thouars 26 km

Loudun 37 km

Chateau Oiron  22 km

Parthenay  19 km

St Jouin de Marnes 14 km

 

 

Story written by Anji Weston who runs a B&B Le Grand Saule in Moncontour, Vienne

 

 

 

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