Stories
History
Contents
Martin Nadaud House, Martinèche
L’espace Eugene Jamot, St Sulpice les Champs
The Road to Emmaus
The Citroen 2CV
Le Tour de France
Drapeau Tricolore
Avenue des Champs-Elysées
La Marseillaise – the French National Anthem (l’hymne national français)
Masgot – A Village of Stone in the Heart of the Creuse
The French Empire
Marianne
Martin Nadaud House, Martinèche
Here are the full details (below) of the opening hours of the Martin Nadaud House, Martinèche in the commune of Soubrebost. Well worth a visit to discover this great man of the Creuse who rose from being a self educated ‘maçon de la Creuse’, walking to Paris with other maçons to create some outstanding buildings, he was a pioneer in founding the rights of the working man and later using his influence as a Deputé of the department to make working conditions better and safer.
Recently, new work has been carried out on the barn next to the house to create a boutique, conference room and exhibition area. Well worth a visit, you learn such a lot about the character and history of the Creusois people.
L’espace Eugene Jamot, St Sulpice les Champs
« J’ai cru que la vie était sacrée et qu’on pouvait donner la sienne pour le salut de celle des autres ».
Those are the words of Doctor Eugène Jamot who did indeed give a lifetime’s work to help others. I was recently invited to visit the museum dedicated to his life in St Sulpice les Champs a village situated between Ahun and Aubusson.
I was welcomed by Delphine who works in the museum and by Georgette Michaud who is the President of the Association du Docteur Jamot and is largely responsible for bringing this museum into existence. I learnt that Eugène Jamot, born in Saint Sulpice les Champs, was a pioneer in the early detection of African sleeping sickness by systematically screening those communities in Africa who were most at risk and whose methods of detection are still used today.
There is a film, in English, which explains what a terrible disease this is and how important Dr Jamot was in fighting it, indeed he managed to eradicate it in Africa but it is once again on the increase. Born in the Creuse and then working as a Doctor in Sardent he succeeded in becoming an army doctor in the Cameroons and Director of the Insitut Pasteur in Brazzavile. Frequently confronted by examples of sleeping sickness, spread by the tsetse fly, he took his ideas to the remotest villages convincing the people that with correct screening sleeping sickness didn’t have to mean death.
Dt Eugène Jamot is considered a hero by many, particularly in the Cameroons, he was certainly a humanitarian and yet another example of an important personality from humble beginnings. The museum is open until 30th September every afternoon, except Tuesdays, from 2.30 to 6.30pm and in October every weekend, the same hours, well worth a visit if only to increase your knowledge of the Creusois heritage.
In fact Creuse News looks forward to working in collaboration with the museum to have several meetings in English and in French explaining the history of the Creuse, dates to be announced soon…
05 55 67 63 57 www.creuse-jamot.org, espace-jamot@orange.fr
The Road to Emmaus
When first arriving in France and discovering Emmaus at St Priest Thaurion, just over the border into the Haute Vienne, it was like falling upon an Aladdin’s cave of second hand everything from furniture, rugs, kitchen stuff, bathroom fittings, garden furniture books and clothes. For a trip to Emmaus it was vital to take the trailer.
I didn’t know the story behind the Emmaus centres then but it’s a tale of a man who is regarded almost as a saint in France giving relief, purpose and hope to the homeless and dispossessed.
Emmaus was started in 1949 by Father Henri-Antoine Grouves, better known as Abbé Pierre, a Catholic priest and MP and a member of the French Resistance during the war.
The movement did not gain wide recognition until the cold winter of 1954 when some 5 million French people were without lodgings and a baby froze to death in Paris. An open letter to the press and a radio appeal shamed the government into a programme of housing reconstruction and he challenged the indifference of a ‘civilised society’, stating that the measure of a civilised society is to be found in its treatment of the outcast. He was an angry man, scornful of politicians and the bourgeoisie, heade things happen and he had a clever understanding of how the world works.
Abbé Pierre’s system was to develop communities that depended on survival through their own efforts, generally the collection and sale of furniture, books and scrap. ‘You can do nothing on your own,’ Abbé Pierre said, ‘but together you can do anything.’ When Abbé Pierre resigned as an MP he no longer had a salary to support the 18 men who now formed the first community and were still building homes for those who desperately needed them. So to raise money the men took things that people no longer wanted and resold them. Hence the concept of Companions was started, running a self-supporting business with the profits going to those in need.
Georges became the first Emmaus companion when he was homeless and despairing and tried to commit suicide in the Seine. Abbé Pierre did not just give him somewhere to sleep
but he asked for Georges’ help. He lived and worked with Abbé Pierre building temporary homes for the homeless, George said, ‘whatever else he might have given me – money, a home, somewhere to work – I’d still have tried to kill myself again. What I was missing and what he offered me was something to live for.’ Among his first helpers was a reform school runaway,a slightly deranged policeman and a boxer.
Emmaus communities opened throughout France, there are now 4000 Companions in 110 communities. He also travelled the world encouraging over 40 countries (including Britain) to open Emmaus centres.
Abbé Pierre died last year at the age of 94 leaving the amazing legacy of the Companions concept, self-supporting centres, with the profits going to those in need and giving homeless and desperate people a reason for living.
He was a man with a strong moral force, something of a prophet articulating his outrage at a society which could allow babies to freeze to death on the street.
A GOOD SAMARITAN - hence the name Emmaus.
The Citroen 2CV
What could be more symbolic of France than the Citroen 2CV (deux chevaux)? That motorised upside down pram which was perhaps the most-loved ‘vehicle of the people’ in the second half of the 20th century.
In fact it wasn’t just a vehicle, more a lifestyle being robust, practical and needing only minimum upkeep.
In the present economic climate wouldn’t a return of the 2CV be just a wonderful idea?
I can speak from personal experience being an ex-2CV owner – blue body with a blue and white striped soft top! I really loved it – that push and pull gear change, flap windows, seats easily removed to be used during picnics, that amazing ‘leaning’ suspension, happy memories.
The 2 CV began in the 1930s when Pierre-Jules Boulanger launched a project to develop a TPV (Très Petite Voiture). The war put the development of the 2 CV on hold but the big day came at the Paris Motor Show in 1948 where it caused a sensation – some shocked reactions to the low key design. However, the public soon got to love the 2CV and orders came rushing in – the 2CV was a success.
The car was an ingenious design, all the body parts were removable thanks to hinges and nuts and bolts. It weighed just 500 kg, reached a modest top speed of 65 kmh and did 100 kms on 4.5 litres of fuel. It was what Boulanger had imagined – small, practical and democratically priced. Unfortunately, he died in 1950 before knowing of the future success of his design.
Over the years ‘special series’ 2 CV’s were brought out – the Charleston, bordeaux and black body paint. The Dolly with two-tone paintwork, vanilla and grey and green and black. In 1986 the ‘Cocorico’ special series in the colours of the French flag really reflected this ‘cultural status’.
The 2 CV production line in France closed in 1989, in Portugal in 1990 – but that was not the end, just the beginning of the 2CV Citroen Clubs and its fans.
So, the 2 CV will never die – I think we should start a campaign – ‘Bring Back the 2CV’.
Le Tour de France
The world’s largest cycle race is a combination of endurance and strength and is probably the most challenging of athletic events, like running a marathon several days a week for three weeks.
It was perhaps an insane idea to envisage a 2500 kms cycle race around France. However, it was Géo Lefevre, a journalist with L’Auto magazine (the ancestor to the present newspaper L’Equipe) who had this inspired idea. His editor, Henri Desgrange went along with it and backed the first Tour de France.
On 1st July 1903, 60 pioneers set out on their bikes. After 6 mammoth stages only 21 crossed the line led by Maurice Garin. An incredible feat because we are not talking super lightweight bikes here or well made roads.
The race provoked a mixture of admiration and astonishment. The Tour won over the sporting public who supported the race which put their country, their mountains and their towns in the spotlight.
The Tour has lived through wars, poverty and prosperity and opened up to foreign countries. Now, after 100 years the Tour continues……..
THIS year the Tour has 21 stages over 3500 kms and starts on 5th July in Brittany and finishes on the famous cobbles down the Champs Elysées in Paris on Sunday 25th July.
Amazingly enough the riders will be whizzing through the Creuse with a new stop over town (ville étape) at Aigurande on the 9th/10th July. On the morning of the 10th the riders will start the 6th stage of 195.5kms from Aigurande to Super Besse, passing through Moutier Malcard, Genouillac, Chatelûs Malvaleix, Ladapeyre, Jarnages, Cressat, Chénérailles, Champagnat, Bellegarde en Marche, St Sylvain Bellegarde, La Villetelle, Crocq climbing through the Puy de Dôme and finishing in Super Besse.
A real spectacle for the Creuse with a great atmosphere, the advertisers passing before in the cavalcade (‘ la caravane’) tossing out hats, souvenirs, sweets and free samples to the crowds lining the roads or of course now you can follow it all on the television.
There are many, many famous names associated with the Tour – Eddy Merckx, Jacques Anquetil, Miguel Indurain – all 4 and 5 times winners, but the rider who surpasses them all is Lance Armstrong with 7 consecutive wins between 1999 and 2005. He is an out of the ordinary champion, a real symbol of hope and an inspiration to others. He survived a rampant form of cancer at the age of 26 to come back and win this most gruelling of events seven times. He has now created his foundation ‘Livestrong’ to help other cancer sufferers.
However, the darling of the French public has always been Raymond Poulidor (Poupou), ‘the eternal second’. He was born in the Creuse in Masbaraud-Mérignat, just outside of Bourganeuf, in 1936, and he now lives in St Leonard de Noblat. He was a great rival of Anquetil and Merckx and during his long career he was on the Tour podium a record eight times and finally in 1976 gaining third place at the age of forty. A real tour personality who is admired by all.
A little information on who wears what jersey (maillot) in the Tour’ – maillot jaune – the overall leader; maillot vert – given for sprint points; polka dot – for the king of the mountains; maillot blanc – best placed under-25 rider.
Even if you’re not a big cycling fan, you have to admire these athletes, climbing up the sides of mountains which are so steep they’re ‘hors de catégorie’ – can’t be classed – in all kinds of weather, during three weeks.
It’s also quite nice to see France (on the TV) and listen to the interesting commentaries about the different areas and even better if you can be there and savour this unique sporting event.
Drapeau Tricolore
Even if you’re not a big sports fan I’m sure you couldn’t fail to be gripped by the recent Olympics. There was so much to admire, to be in awe of and a whole gamut of emotions. I defy anyone not to have a lump in the throat or a welling up of tears when the sportspeople were on the podium, facing their flag and listening to their country’s national anthem.
This brings me round to looking at the national flag of France, known in French as drapeau tricolore or drapeau français – the tricolour, in English - featuring three vertical bands coloured blue (hoist side), white and red, so many flags seem to feature these three colours. (I suppose most people know that the Union Jack is a mixture of the crosses of St George, St Andrew and St Patrick ) The colours for the French flag are probably derived from those of Paris (blue and red) and those of the Bourbon dynasty (white), although they are usually associated with liberty, equality and fraternity – the ideals of the French Revolution. It is also often taught in French schools that the colours represent the three main estates of the Ancien Régime – the clergy-white; the nobility-red; the bourgeoisie-blue.
Some interesting facts about the flag – it is 50% wider than its height and, except in the French navy, the stripes are of equal width. Initially the 3 stripes were not equally wide being 30 (blue), 33 (white) and 37 (red), the idea being that if all stripes were equal then the white stripe, being brighter would appear much wider to the human eye! Napoleon I changed back to equal sized stripes but the navy went back to using the 30:33:37 proportions and continues to do so.
The three colours first appeared together as far back as 796 as ribbons on a banner given to the Pope, then during the Middle Ages the reigning house of France had a blue flag with gold fleur-de-lys (lilies) bordered in red and the Kings were often depicted wearing a red gown under a blue coat decorated with gold fleur-de-lys. Gold being the equivalent of white in religious symbolism.
The flag has had a somewhat turbulent, chequered history – the Bourbon dynasty using a plain white flag as a symbol of purity and royal authority – the tricolour replacing this during the Revolution, the Bourbons then being restored to the throne and returning to the white flag, followed by another revolution and the tricolour reinstated. The Third Republic then offering the throne to Bourbon Henri, who insisted on a return to the white flag. The tricolour was by now a cherished symbol so plans to restore the monarchy were dropped and thus France remained a Republic – all because of a flag! – and has continued with the tricolour ever since.
Only during the second world war did the Vichy régime change the flag as did the Free French Forces during the same period.
So, for hoisting the tricolour, the order from the flag pole is blue, white and red and to not hang the Union Jack upside down make sure that the broader diagonal white stripe is at the top left hand side of the flag nearest the flagpole. To deliberately fly the flag upside down is a signal of ‘Distress’, it can also be an insult to the Crown which is still, theoretically, a crime!
Avenue des Champs-Elysées
I have always loved visiting Paris and the Champs- Elysées must surely be its most prestigious avenue.
The Avenue des Champs-Elysées is known as ‘La plus belle avenue du monde’ and one of the principal tourist destinations, beginning at the place de la Concorde and ending at the place Charles de Gaulle, 1910 metres in length and 70 metres wide.
What are the origins of the avenue? – originally fields and market gardens its creation started when Marie de Medici decided to extend the gardens of the Palais des Tuileries with an avenue of trees. Over the years more and more trees were planted on the ‘Elysian Fields’. By the late 1700s the Champs-Elysées had become a fashionable avenue with the groups of trees forming enclaves of greenery. It became city property in 1828 and footpaths, fountains and lighting were added.
Because of its size and closeness to several landmarks, such as the Arc de Triomphe, it has become the place of many military parades. The German troops marched down it in 1940 at the Fall of France and then the Free French and American troops at the Liberation in 1944.
Very few people live on the Avenue because of the very high rents. The architecture is stunning and right next to it is the Presidential Palace – Palais de l’Elysée. You can walk along the tree-lined promenades and at night the lighting is quite spectacular, it is easily spotted when flying over Paris at night. Of course there is the shopping with all the luxury brands you can think of plus the largest Adidas store in the world.
Many events take place in the Champs-Elysées – on Bastille Day is the largest military parade in Europe in front of the President. The last stage of the Tour de France is the Champs-Elysées with the awards ceremony taking place there too. On New Year’s Eve it is always full of people celebrating and on a personal note I ran down it when I ran the Paris Marathon!
In the words of the song sung by Joe Dassin –
‘Aux Champs- Elysées
Au soleil, sous la pluie
A midi ou à minuit
Il y a tout ce que vous voulez aux Champs-Elysées.’
La Marseillaise – the French National Anthem (l’hymne national français)
I feel sure everyone knows the tune to the French National Anthem, the distinctive opening bars are unmistakeable, but probably not the fighting words which were first written as a revolutionary call to arms.
It differs greatly to our rather reverend ‘God Save the Queen’.
I thought it would be interesting to find out the origins of the hymn, in fact the tune and the words were written in 1792 by Claude-Joseph Rouget de Lisle a Captain in the Engineers and an aspiring poet and musician. General Kellerman in command of the Rhine Army at the time demanded a patriotic revolutionary battle-hymn. The song was an instant success with the troops and became known as the Battle Hymn of the Rhine Army and quickly spread throughout revolutionary France.
The song became known as La Marseillaise when General Mireur sang it for his militia battalions in Marseille, it became their marching song as they set off to Paris in 1792 and the Paris crowds warmed to the blood-thirsty verses sung with gusto.
La Marseillaise has a coloured history being the national song of the First Republic in 1795, then banned by the 1st Empire, back again in the 1830 Revolution, abolished under Napoleon III’s 2nd Empire and finally under the 3rd Republic was re-established as the official national anthem. In 1887 the ‘official version’ was agreed upon and adopted by the War Ministry and there is has remained as the tune played (and sung) at all official state ceremonies and sporting events. La Marseillaise also became a symbol of patriotism with the patriotic Free French and Resistance workers during the Second World War.
So, the next time England meets France in a rugby match you can sing along to both anthems as here are the words in both English and French – (for the first verse and chorus) –
Allons enfants de la Patrie,
Le jour de gloire est arrivé !
Contre nous de la tyrannie
L’étendard sanglant est levé
L’étendard sanglant est levé
Entendez-vous dans les campagnes,
Mugir ces féroces soldats ?
Ils viennent jusque dans nos bras
Egorger nos fils, nos compagnes !
Refrain
Aux armes, citoyens !
Formez vos bataillons !
Marchons ! Marchons !
Qu’un sang impur !
Abreuve nos sillons !
Come children of the Fatherland
The glorious day has come
The bloody flag of tyranny
Is raised against us (repeated)
Do you hear in the countryside
The roar of these fierce soldiers?
They come right into our arms
To slit the throats of our sons, our wives!
To arms, citizens!
Form your battalions!
Let us march! Let us march!
May impure blood
Water our fields!
Masgot – A Village of Stone in the Heart of the Creuse
It seems fitting in this land of granite that there is a village in the Creuse dedicated to the art of sculpting this hard rock.
Masgot, in the commune of Fransèches (not too far from Ahun) boasts a collection of surprising, naive sculptures spread throughout the village.
FRANCOIS MICHAUD is the author of these remarkable works of art. He was born in 1810, the son of a migrant maçon and he also became a maçon – but an extraordinary one. You only have to look at the houses he built for himself in the village with twisted columns, carved lintels, cornices and arches to realise he was a master.
But this wasn’t enough for François, he needed to express himself in sculpture. Using blocks of granite he found in the woods nearby, left there by erosion, he created sculptures around his house, on the pathways to his land, on the walls of his vegetable garden. His art is everywhere – fantastic beasts, animals, well-known personalities or not, they are all there.
One wonders where this imagination sprung from and what event in his childhood incited in him this enormous desire to sculpt. Life in the 19th century was hard with very little time for leisure or for reading (if you could). François was exceptional and found time to express his thoughts through granite, attracting and intriguing the onlooker. He must have been quite a personality in his village. He has left several inscriptions in stone in Latin and French perhaps passing on a message to those who followed him.
In fact, he was somewhat ahead of his time in the design and creation of his houses. He wanted to improve the living conditions of his family and so he created some revolutionary (for that era) improvements. Slabs of granite replaced earth floors, light came into the house from larger windows, different food could be cooked in an oven he built by the open fire, a bedroom was created upstairs allowing some privacy and an enclosed courtyard was constructed around the front of the house; creating lots of practical ideas plus architectural detail.
So, what has Masgot got to offer the visitor to-day? There is now a ‘Stone Centre’ in the village where they run various sculpting courses, for children and adults, real hands on experience of working with granite. You can discover the history of les maçons de la Creuse and take in the exhibitions. There are visits to the houses of François Michaud, free entry and a guided on certain days, plus ‘La Journée de la Pierre’ in July.
For complete dates and details have a look at the website www.masgot.fr or contact ‘Les Amis de la Pierre de Masgot’ 05 55 66 98 88.
François Michaud was a man out of the ordinary. A gifted, philosophical, talented Creusois artist who has left his life’s work for us to marvel at; and to leave you with one of his inscriptions in stone –
‘Ce que tu détesterais que l’on te fasse, veille à ne pas le faire à autrui’
‘That which you hate being done to you, take care yourself not to do it to others’
The French Empire
Nick Dunbar, traveller and rain forest expert, looks at the history of the FRENCH COLONIAL EMPIRE and its remaining influences…….
What do Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Reunion all have in common? Not only are they official departments of France but they are also the last remaining outposts of the once mighty French colonial empires, of which there have been two. These vast areas once included much of North Eastern America and Canada, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos, Southern China, East India, Syria, Lebanon, most of West Africa and the Maghreb. The African element alone incorporated modern day Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Senegal, Republic of Congo, Gabon and Mali amongst many others. In fact, at the height of the French colonial empire’s reach at the start of the 20th century, it was the second largest in the world behind the British Empire, with nearly 9% of the planet’s area under its control.
The first French colonial empire is generally accepted as coming to an end following the loss of French supremacy in North America and India to the British in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s. Focus soon turned to interests in Africa and South-East Asia and so began the creation of the second empire.
From 1605 and the founding of New France, otherwise known as Canada, French overseas policies differed greatly from those of the ever-competing British. Whereas the British were primarily led by business interests, the French concentrated more on church or state based policies. Conversion to Catholicism and the world wide spreading of French culture were paramount in their aims. The results of this can still be seen today – I’ve heard the most beautiful, perfect French spoken in remote Gabonese villages, sipped coffee and dunked croissants by a lake in central Cambodia and suffered ridiculous shop opening hours in Morocco. Most memorable are the freshly baked baguettes, straight out of a Pygmy earth oven 6 hours walk from the nearest village in the middle of the Congo rainforest! For better or worse, the French certainly know how to leave their influences behind and the memories of their presence live on for millions of people in their day to day tasks around the world. Along with these often surprising and definitely pleasing reminders of France often come the most awful of inherited traditions; the paperwork in triplicate, tiresome bureaucracy and endless rubber-stamping.
French colonials in general were always more inclined, when compared to their British counterparts, to mix with local populations and can still be found in their ex-colonies in greater numbers than the British can in theirs. The British do have the reputation of better preparing their colonies for independence and this seems to be backed up by random conversations (generally with taxi-drivers) around the world whose only wish is that the British or the Dutch or even the Germans had got to them before the French. ‘The grass is always greener’ however as no one could wish to live in countries with such unimaginable problems as Sudan and Zimbabwe for example, both ex British colonies.
French control abroad declined post World War II and was further precipitated by wars in Vietnam and Algeria in the 1950’s and 60’s. By the 1970’s the French colonial empire had ceased to exist apart from the few Dom-Toms or ‘domaines d’outre-mer’ - a few islands and the former South American penal colony of Guiana. These small territories opted to become part of France rather than go it alone and are increasingly critical of France and the resident white elite’s dominance of trade and their inherited privileges. High unemployment, low wages and high prices in the shops have resulted in recent strikes and demonstrations especially in Guadeloupe and Martinique. Racism against the indigenous populations has become the over-riding issue. In a somewhat sordid end to over 400 years of French colonial history, President Sarkozy has recently had to promise 580 million euros and a ‘vast modernisation plan’ in a bid to ease the increasingly violent unrest in his overseas dominions. As if he hasn’t got enough problems at home…
Marianne
Am I imagining it or did I already know about Marianne – the figure that represents the Republican values of France – Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité – before I came to live here?
You can see the sculpted bust of Marianne in the mairies, prefectures, schools and in most governmental services and maybe you have wondered what Marianne is all about and even why that name.
The origin is thought to be a mélange of two very popular names during the 18th century – Marie and Anne – and also the fact that several Queens had these names too. A revolutionary song included the name Marianne who was representative of the people as opposed to the aristocracy. The revolutionaries adopted the name as a symbol of ‘mother country’, the ‘nursing mother’ who would protect the children of France and was quickly taken up by the people of France.
Marianne can be a full sculpted figure or more often a bust and has featured several changing symbols, depending on the pre-occupations of the French people during certain eras. Sometimes we saw a crown symbolising power; a bare breast – emancipation; broken chains – freedom etc…. She began to replace the busts of Napoleon III in the mairies after 1877 and by the 20th century all the mairies displayed a Marianne.
She has featured on stamps and coins and in 1999 the Government adopted the logo of Marianne in profile on the French flag, for all official correspondence, underneath being the devise (motto) Liberté Egalité Fraternité and under that is written République Française. You will no doubt have received some correspondence with this logo on, even on the envelopes. from the Trésor Public, for example.
Several models have been used for the figure of Marianne – artists have used their partners, or a professional model, someone local or a personality. Some famous celebrities have lent their profile – Brigitte Bardot, Mireille Mathieu, Catherine Deneuve to name but a few.
It is quite a pleasant surprise to have a woman symbolise the French Republic as opposed to John Bull in England and Uncle Sam in the USA, and also considering that women didn’t get the vote in France until 1945 – something of a paradox, which makes trying to understand the complexes and vagaries of French life all the more interesting.
Vive La France!
