Saint-Maixent-l'École () 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
Deux-Sèvres
Deux-Sèvres () is a French department. ''Deux-Sèvres'' literally means "two Sèvres": the Sèvre Nantaise and the Sèvre Niortaise are two rivers which have their sources in the department. It had a population of 374,878 in 2019. department in western
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
.
Geography
Saint-Maixent-l'École is located in the Haut Val de Sèvre area of western France, about from
Niort
Niort (; Poitevin: ''Niàu''; oc, Niòrt; la, Novioritum) is a commune in the Deux-Sèvres department, western France. It is the prefecture of Deux-Sèvres.
The population of Niort is 58,707 (2017) and more than 177,000 people live in the ...
and from
La Rochelle
La Rochelle (, , ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''La Rochéle''; oc, La Rochèla ) is a city on the west coast of France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department. Wi ...
. The town sits in a fertile and sheltered south-facing valley with a branch of the
River Sevre running through it.
It enjoys a pleasant micro-climate – often being between 2 °C and 5 °C warmer than the surrounding hilltops – and sits in a predominantly rural landscape. The town is close to the autoroute networks and is well served by its own station, known to SNCF as 'St. Maixent Deux Sèvres'. SNCF-TGV and TER local trains run to Angoulême, Bordeaux, La Rochelle, Lille, Montauban, Niort, Paris, Poitiers and Tours.
History
The town was founded in 459 by the
Oratorian monk, Agapit. Agapit originally named the town Saint Saturnin. He would later be joined by Maixent, a fellow monk in 480. Later, during the
Wars of Religion
A religious war or a war of religion, sometimes also known as a holy war ( la, sanctum bellum), is a war which is primarily caused or justified by differences in religion. In the modern period, there are frequent debates over the extent to wh ...
, St. Maixent was cast into the role of 'border town' between the Protestant strongholds around to the west and Catholic France to the east.
Population
Sights
Many of the town's buildings date from 15th century through the early 19th century. The town is home to a large abbey which dominates the skyline. The abbey houses the tombs of St. Maixent and St. Leger.
The limestone that was used for many of the buildings was excavated from an extensive network of (what have become) vaulted cellars. These often extend down for two stories below ground and may be very large.
Oldest secular premises in the town is the ancient Pharmacy on Rue Anatole France which has been undergoing a slow but dedicated restoration of its many hidden features.
Rue Chalon, the pedestrianized main shopping street was extensively rebuilt during the 18th century under the supervision of Count Blossac, Intendant of the
Generalitat of Poitou. The entrance to Rue Chalon is signified by an elegant masonry arch (Porte Chalon) and the street beyond presents a pleasantly uniform facade of handsome period buildings with shops, bars and restaurants facing onto the street. The far end of Rue Chalon ends with a prospect of the Abbey. A charming relic of 'Old France' stands on this corner, a former Cordonnerie (shoe repairers) which has survived untouched by modernization of its street facade. Built in the 18th century upon the site of the Abbey Seminary, the extensive 12th-century cellarage below the shop was (probably) originally created by masons seeking out limestone from which the Abbey was constructed.
Rue Churay, just off this street has small public garden which contains the town's war memorial, and is regularly the site of ceremonies of remembrance. Attended by the town band at these affairs also offer an opportunity to see soldiers studying at St. Maixent's famous 'École de l'Armée' in full dress. While unremarkable from the outside, one of the houses opposite the war memorial has a virtually intact lace-maker's house dating from the 12th to 14th centuries in a courtyard at the rear. This unusual survivor from the period when Poitou lace was famous throughout Europe has the large north-light window with stone window-seat typical of its kind.
Economy
The main agricultural products of the region around the town includes corn, sunflowers, flax, tobacco, and wine. Sugar Beet and Charente Melons also feature prominently. The town lies halfway between the
Loire Valley and
Bordeaux
Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefect ...
, in close proximity to the
Cognac
Cognac ( , also , ) is a variety of brandy named after the commune of Cognac, France. It is produced in the surrounding wine-growing region in the departments of Charente and Charente-Maritime.
Cognac production falls under French appella ...
region. There are several specialty goats-milk cheeses produced in the area. The area is home to companies producing agricultural commodities, such as animal feed and vegetable oils.
One of the mainstays of the local economy is the presence of the
French Army NCO training school, which runs regular courses for all branches of the Army. There are extensive barracks, some parts dating back to the revolution.
There is a thriving Saturday market on the main street, a Food Hall on the market square, as well as branches of the usual supermarket chains and once a small cinema (L'Hermitage), which closed in 2012. 2014 has seen the opening of a new cultural center, the 'Agapit', which hosts musical and theatrical performances.
Twin towns
The town is
twinned with
Horsham in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
. This fact is marked by the presence of an original red UK telephone kiosk outside the Mairie.
See also
*
Communes of the Deux-Sèvres department
The following is a list of the 256 communes of the Deux-Sèvres department of France.
The communes cooperate in the following intercommunalities (as of 2020):[Pierre-Marie Poisson
Pierre-Marie Poisson was born in Niort on 19 November 1876 and died in Paris on 11 January 1953. He was a French sculptor and medallist.
Biography
Pierre-Marie Poisson was born in Niort on 19 November 1876. Early studies at the local school w ...]
* Aristide DENFERT-ROCHEREAU est né le 11 janvier 1823 à St Maixent l'École. Il a dirigé la défense de la ville de Belfort pendant la guerre franco-allemande de 1870, ce qui lui a valu le surnom de "Lion de Belfort".
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saintmaixentlecole
Communes of Deux-Sèvres
Poitou