Amanlis (; br, Amanliz; Gallo: ''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 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 an ...

Brittany Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica during the period ...

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 ...

. The inhabitants of Amanlis are known as ''Amanlisiens''. The known history of Amanlis dates back to pre-Roman times, when the Riedones 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 wov ...

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, 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 or Redones tribe of

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 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

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 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 are ...

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, 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, 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" 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 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, 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 religiou ...

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 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 coup of 18 Brumaire, November 1799. Many of its ...

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 Lou ...

. 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 Wa ...

. His peerage was revoked, and he retired from public service.