Amanlis (; br, Amanliz;
Gallo
Gallo may refer to:
*Related to Gaul:
** Gallo-Roman culture
**Gallo language, a regional language of France
**Gallo-Romance, a branch of Romance languages
**Gallo-Italic or Gallo-Italian language, a branch spoken in Northern Italy of the Romance ...
: ''Amanli'') is a
commune
A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to:
Administrative-territorial entities
* Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township
** Communes of ...
in the
department
Department may refer to:
* Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility
Government and military
*Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...
of
Ille-et-Vilaine
Ille-et-Vilaine (; br, Il-ha-Gwilen) is a department of France, located in the region of Brittany in the northwest of the country. It is named after the two rivers of the Ille and the Vilaine. It had a population of 1,079,498 in 2019. in the
region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...
of
Brittany
Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo language, Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, Historical region, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known ...
in western
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
. The inhabitants of Amanlis are known as ''Amanlisiens''.
The known history of Amanlis dates back to pre-Roman times, when the
Riedones
The Redones or Riedones (Gaulish: ''Rēdones'', later ''Riedones'', 'chariot- or horse-drivers') were a Gallic tribe dwelling in the eastern part of the Armorican peninsula (modern Brittany), around their chief town Condate (modern Rennes), dur ...
or Redones tribe of
Gauls
The Gauls ( la, Galli; grc, Γαλάται, ''Galátai'') were a group of Celtic peoples of mainland Europe in the Iron Age and the Roman period (roughly 5th century BC to 5th century AD). Their homeland was known as Gaul (''Gallia''). They s ...
inhabited the area.
The primary products of Amanlis are agricultural. From the 16th to the mid-19th centuries, it was a center of production of
sailcloth
Sailcloth encompasses a wide variety of materials that span those from natural fibers, such as flax, hemp or cotton in various forms of sail canvas, to synthetic fibers, including nylon, polyester, aramids, and carbon fibers in a variety of wove ...
made from locally grown hemp.
Sites of interest include the parish church Saint-Martin-de-Tours and the Sainte-Anne-des-Bois chapel, which is dedicated to the patron saint of Brittany.
Geography
Amanlis is located approximately 14 miles southeast of
Rennes
Rennes (; br, Roazhon ; Gallo: ''Resnn''; ) is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France at the confluence of the Ille and the Vilaine. Rennes is the prefecture of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department ...
, the capital of Brittany, at the junction of highways D36 and D37. The town is on the banks of the River Seiche, a tributary of the Vilaine. The countryside is hilly and dotted with farms, orchards and small woods. The largest village in the commune after the town of Amanlis is called Néron.
History
The name of Amanlis (formerly spelled Amanlix) is thought to come from Aman (butter) and Lez (court or courtyard); in other words, a place that produces butter.
The area around what is now Amanlis was inhabited by the
Riedones
The Redones or Riedones (Gaulish: ''Rēdones'', later ''Riedones'', 'chariot- or horse-drivers') were a Gallic tribe dwelling in the eastern part of the Armorican peninsula (modern Brittany), around their chief town Condate (modern Rennes), dur ...
or Redones tribe of
Gauls
The Gauls ( la, Galli; grc, Γαλάται, ''Galátai'') were a group of Celtic peoples of mainland Europe in the Iron Age and the Roman period (roughly 5th century BC to 5th century AD). Their homeland was known as Gaul (''Gallia''). They s ...
during the Iron Age and the Roman period (roughly from the 5th century BC to the 5th century AD). Their capital was Condate (modern Rennes). Some 10,000 coins of the Riedones and the
Veneti tribes were discovered in Amanlis in 1835; additional coins were found in the 1940s. Some of these coins have been preserved in the Museum of Brittany in Rennes and the Museum of History and Archeology in Vannes.
The first documentation of the existence of a Catholic parish in Amanlis dates from the 11th century. By 1197, according to the bishop of Rennes, the church property belonged to the
Marmoutier Abbey, Tours
Marmoutier Abbey — also known as the Abbey of Marmoutier or Marmoutiers — was an early monastery outside Tours, Indre-et-Loire, France. In its later days it followed the Benedictine order as an influential monastery with many dependencies.
Hi ...
. Sometime before 1375, the land around Amanlis was joined with that of
Châteaugiron
Châteaugiron (; ; Gallo: ''Chaujon'') is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department of Brittany in northwestern France. It extended on 1 January 2017 by merging with the former communes of Saint-Aubin-du-Pavail and Ossé.
Population
Inhabit ...
to the north. Under the feudal system of the time, all the inhabitants of Amanlis were subjects of the Baron of Châteaugiron.
By 1500, the farmers of Amanlis were raising dairy cattle, grains, apples, and crops used for textiles, such as flax and hemp. Amanlis became a center for the production of
sailcloth
Sailcloth encompasses a wide variety of materials that span those from natural fibers, such as flax, hemp or cotton in various forms of sail canvas, to synthetic fibers, including nylon, polyester, aramids, and carbon fibers in a variety of wove ...
from hemp for various kinds of ships in France and other European countries.
This was a source of supplemental income for farmers and was supported by the French government throughout the 18th century and the first half of the 19th century.
In 1789, the old feudal system was dismantled, and Amanlis, along with all other rural parishes in France, became a commune with an elected mayor and municipal government. The commune of Amanlis was separated from Châteaugiron and became part of the canton of Janzé.
After the surrender of
Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
to the British in 1815 and the return of peace to Europe, the exportation of sailcloth again became important to the prosperity of Amanlis. However, the local fabricators kept to their traditional methods of production, and they were unable to compete with mechanized techniques used by their competitors in Rennes, other cities in northern France, Great Britain and Belgium.
Prices fell, and by 1870, the textile industry was in a serious downturn. Two other problems contributed to the declining fortunes of the commune. The first was the lack of good roads, which made it difficult to hold markets in Amanlis. The second was the inefficient configuration of typical farms, which were characterized by very small fields scattered about the countryside.
At the turn of the 20th century, the fields of hemp had been replaced by grasslands, the number of cattle doubled, and new species of apple trees were being planted. In addition, the production of grain was increasing due to mechanization. New means of transportation (rail, automobiles, bicycles) allowed people to travel to Rennes and beyond. Soldiers in World Wars I and II returned to Amanlis with new ideas and an interest in new ways of doing things.
As of 2020, the agricultural output of the commune was approximately 48% dairy products, 19% livestock, 16% poultry, and 16% plant-based.
Language and Culture
The traditional
culture of Brittany remains important to the inhabitants of the region. Before the introduction of compulsory education in French, the
Breton language
Breton (, ; or in Morbihan) is a Southwestern Brittonic language of the Celtic language family spoken in Brittany, part of modern-day France. It is the only Celtic language still widely in use on the European mainland, albeit as a member of t ...
was widely spoken in the western part of the region, while the Latinate
Gallo language
Gallo is a regional language of eastern Brittany. It is one of the langues d'oïl, a Romance sub-family that includes French. Today it is spoken only by a minority of the population, as the standard form of French now predominates in this ar ...
was typically spoken in the eastern part around Rennes, which includes Amanlis. Gallo is currently spoken by some 28,000 people, mostly in rural areas.
Population
The manufacturing of sailcloth after 1500 required significant manpower, and the population of Amanlis doubled from 1,000 to 2,000 within a hundred years. It continued to increase for some time, but a series of wars, bad harvests, famine and high taxes led to reduced production of sailcloth, and the population declined from 2,400 in 1672 to less than 2,100 in 1715.
As a result of renewed demand for sailcloth in the early 19th century, the population increased to a high of 2,854 in 1836. In 1851, nearly 30% of the people in Amanlis were involved in some fashion in the production of sailcloth, from those who prepared the hemp and spun it into thread to weavers and merchants.
However, from the mid-19th century on, the population began falling again, reaching a low of 1,337 in 1982. Since then, the population slowly increased to 1,719 as of January 1, 2017.
Administration
The current mayor of Amanlis is Loïc Godet, who was reelected on May 28, 2020, to a six-year term. The deputy mayors are Philippe Arondel, Régine Agnola, Hervé Saffray, Anita Breget, and Antoine Tabet.
Education
Preschool and elementary classes are offered at the school Notre-Dame d'Amanlis.
Transport
*Bus service to Rennes and nearby smaller cities is provided by the regional transportation service
BreizhGo.
*The
Gare de Rennes
Rennes station ( French: ''Gare de Rennes'') is situated in the town centre of Rennes, France. It is situated on the Paris–Brest, Rennes–Saint-Malo and the Rennes–Redon railways.
The station at Rennes was opened in 1857, and was situat ...
, a major railway station, provides high-speed rail service to Paris and other cities in France, plus regional service throughout Brittany.
*The nearest airport is
Rennes–Saint-Jacques Airport
Rennes–Saint-Jacques Airport or ''Aéroport de Rennes–Saint-Jacques'' is a minor international airport about southwest of Rennes, Ille-et-Vilaine, in the region of Brittany, France.
History
Before the construction of this airport, Rennes ...
, approximately 17 miles from Amanlis.
Sites of interest
*Saint-Martin-de-Tours parish church. First mentioned in the 11th century, the church was rebuilt in the 16th and 17th centuries, with further modifications in the 18th and 19th centuries. The church was designated as an official "
Monument Historique
''Monument historique'' () is a designation given to some national heritage sites in France. It may also refer to the state procedure in France by which National Heritage protection is extended to a building, a specific part of a building, a coll ...
" in 1974.
*The Château of Amanlis (), a large house and other property bought by count Jacques-Joseph Corbière in 1803. The house was built by Jean Couvroux around 1680 and renovated by Corbière and later by the de Talhouët family.
*The Château du Bois-Tilleul, former manor house of Bois-Farouge, rebuilt in the 18th century and remodeled in the 19th century.
*The Chapel of
Saint Anne
According to Christian apocryphal and Islamic tradition, Saint Anne was the mother of Mary and the maternal grandmother of Jesus. Mary's mother is not named in the canonical gospels. In writing, Anne's name and that of her husband Joachim come o ...
of the Woods (), a
pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, aft ...
destination near the village of Néron, consecrated in 1877 on July 26 (the feast day of
Saint Anne
According to Christian apocryphal and Islamic tradition, Saint Anne was the mother of Mary and the maternal grandmother of Jesus. Mary's mother is not named in the canonical gospels. In writing, Anne's name and that of her husband Joachim come o ...
, grandmother of
Jesus
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
and
patron saint
A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, or Eastern Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or perso ...
of Brittany). The pilgrimage is still conducted every July.
*The Sculpted House (), created by artist Jacques Lucas beginning in 1968 on a property in the countryside near Amanlis. Basing his art on Breton monuments he had catalogued for the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, he decorated the building with paintings and sculptures in concrete.
Gallery
File:132 Trésor d'Amanlis.jpg, Coins of the Gallic Riedones and Veneti tribes
File:Coiffe d'Amanlis - musée de Bretagne - 2003.0067.1.jpg, Coiffe (Breton-style embroidered lace cap of Amanlis)
File:Saint-Martin-de-Tours Parish Church in Amanlis, France.jpg, Saint-Martin-de-Tours Church
File:La chapelle Ste Anne.jpg, Chapel of Saint Anne of the Woods ()
File:Chateau du Bois Tilleul Amanlis France.jpg, Château du Bois-Tilleul
File:View of Saint-Martin-de-Tours Parish Church from Rue des Dames in Amanlis, France.jpg, Rue des Dames
Notable people
*
Jacques-Joseph Corbière
Jacques Joseph Guillaume François Pierre, comte de Corbière (22 May 1766 – 12 January 1853) was a French lawyer who became Minister of the Interior. He was intolerant of liberalism and a strong supporter of the church.
Early years
Jacques Jos ...
(1766-1853), lawyer born in
Corps-Nuds
Corps-Nuds (; ; Gallo: ''Cornut'') is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department of Brittany in north-western France.
Population
Inhabitants of Corps-Nuds are called ''Cornusiens'' in French.
See also
*Communes of the Ille-et-Vilaine departm ...
near Amanlis and buried in Amanlis. He began his career in politics following the
French Revolution
The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...
and later served as Minister of the Interior under kings
Louis XVIII
Louis XVIII (Louis Stanislas Xavier; 17 November 1755 – 16 September 1824), known as the Desired (), was King of France from 1814 to 1824, except for a brief interruption during the Hundred Days in 1815. He spent twenty-three years in ...
and
Charles X
Charles X (born Charles Philippe, Count of Artois; 9 October 1757 – 6 November 1836) was King of France from 16 September 1824 until 2 August 1830. An uncle of the uncrowned Louis XVII and younger brother to reigning kings Louis XVI and Loui ...
. In 1822 Louis XVIII conferred on Corbière the title of count, and in 1828 he was made a peer of France by Charles X. After the
July Revolution
The French Revolution of 1830, also known as the July Revolution (french: révolution de Juillet), Second French Revolution, or ("Three Glorious ays), was a second French Revolution after the first in 1789. It led to the overthrow of King ...
of 1830, he refused to swear allegiance to the new king
Louis Philippe I
Louis Philippe (6 October 1773 – 26 August 1850) was King of the French from 1830 to 1848, and the penultimate monarch of France.
As Louis Philippe, Duke of Chartres, he distinguished himself commanding troops during the Revolutionary War ...
. His peerage was revoked, and he retired from public service.
See also
*
Communes of the Ille-et-Vilaine department
The following is a list of the 333 Communes of France, communes of the Ille-et-Vilaine Departments of France, department of France.
The communes cooperate in the following Communes of France#Intercommunality, intercommunalities (as of 2020):
References
External links
Official websiteBreizhGo Regional Transportation AuthorityInventaire et Valorisation du Patrimoine de BretagneFrench Ministry of Culture list of Historical Monuments for AmanlisRoche aux Fées Communauté
{{authority control
Communes of Ille-et-Vilaine