HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Le Puy-en-Velay (, literally ''Le Puy in Velay''; oc, Lo Puèi de Velai ) is the
prefecture A prefecture (from the Latin ''Praefectura'') is an administrative jurisdiction traditionally governed by an appointed prefect. This can be a regional or local government subdivision in various countries, or a subdivision in certain international ...
of the Haute-Loire
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, ...
in the
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (ARA; ; frp, Ôvèrgne-Rôno-Ârpes; oc, Auvèrnhe Ròse Aups; it, Alvernia-Rodano-Alpi) is a region in southeast-central France created by the 2014 territorial reform of French regions; it resulted from the merger of Au ...
region of south-central France. Located near the river Loire, the city is famous for its cathedral, for a kind of lentil, for its lace-making, as well as for being the origin of the ''Chemin du Puy,'' one of the principal origin points of the pilgrimage route of Santiago de Compostela in France. In 2017, the commune had a population of 18,995.


History

Le Puy-en-Velay was a major bishopric by the early period of medieval France. Its foundation is largely legendary. According to a martyrology compiled by Ado of Vienne, published in many copies in 858, and supplemented in the mid-10th century by Gauzbert of Limoges, a priest named George accompanied a certain Front, the first Bishop of Périgueux, when they were sent to proselytize in Gaul. Front was added to the list of the apostles to Gaul, who in tradition are described as being sent out to reorganize Christians after the persecutions that are associated with Decius, circa 250. As with others of the group, notably Saint Martial of
Limoges Limoges (, , ; oc, Lemòtges, locally ) is a city and Communes of France, commune, and the prefecture of the Haute-Vienne Departments of France, department in west-central France. It was the administrative capital of the former Limousin region ...
, later mythology pushed the activities of Saint Front and the priest George back in time. It tells that George had been restored to life with a touch of Saint Peter's staff. The expanding legend of this St. George, which, according to the Church historian
Louis Duchesne Louis Marie Olivier Duchesne (; 13 September 1843 – 21 April 1922) was a French priest, philologist, teacher and a critical historian of Christianity and Roman Catholic liturgy and institutions. Life Descended from a family of Breton sailors, ...
is not earlier than the 11th century, then makes that saint one of the seventy disciples of the Gospel of Luke. It tells that he founded the church of the '' ivitasque dicitur Vetula in pago Vellavorum'', the city "called Vetula in the ''pays'' of the
Vellavii The Vellavii (Gaulish: *''Uellauī/Wellawī'') were a Gallic tribe dwelling around the modern city of Le Puy-en-Velay, in the region of the Auvergne, during the Iron Age and the Roman period. Name They are mentioned as ''Vellaviis'' (var. ''ve ...
" was how a document of 1004 termed it. This was what the settlement of Ruessium began to be called during the 4th century. ''Vetula'' means "the old woman", and pagans were still making small images of her as late as the 6th century in Flanders, according to the ''vita'' of Saint Eligius. This was the first cathedral at Le Puy. Following St. George the founder, later medieval local traditions evoke a legendary list of bishops at this chief town of the ''pays'' of Le Velay: Macarius, Marcellinus, Roricius, Eusebius, Paulianus, and Vosy (Evodius), all of them canonized by local veneration. The Gaulish settlement of Ruessium/Vellavorum was given its Christianizing name, Saint-Paulien, from Bishop Paulianus. A bishop Evodius attended the Council of Valence in 374. In the early 1180s peasants of Le Puy, led by a carpenter named Durandus, formed a '' conspiratio'' (sworn association) called the ''
Capuciati Capuciati is the name (from ''caputium'', hood, the headgear which was one of their distinctive marks) of a short-lived Catholic confraternity also named Confrères de la Paix ("Confraternity of Peace"). They formed an organisation of warriors ded ...
'' (because of the white hoods they wore as a sign of their conspiratio). They challenged seigneurial dominance in a short-lived attempt at reformation.


Our Lady of Le Puy

The Christianization legends of ''Mons Anicius'' relate that at the request of Bishop
Martial of Limoges Saint Martial (3rd century), called "the Apostle of the Gauls" or "the Apostle of Aquitaine", was the first bishop of Limoges. His feast day is 30 June. Life There is no accurate information as to the origin, dates of birth and death, or the acts ...
, Bishop Evodius/Vosy ordered an altar to the Virgin Mary to be erected on the pinnacle that surmounts Mont Anis. Some such beginning of the shrine Christianized the pagan site; it later became the altar site of the cathedral of Le Puy. This marked one starting-point or meeting-point for the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela, a walk of some 1600 km, as it still does today. The old town of Le Puy developed around the base of the cathedral. Pilgrims were early visitors to Le Puy, and it was the most popular destination in France during the Middle Ages. Charlemagne came twice, in 772 and 800. There is a legend that in 772, he established a foundation at the cathedral for ten poor canons (''chanoines de paupérie''), and he chose Le Puy, with
Aachen Aachen ( ; ; Aachen dialect: ''Oche'' ; French and traditional English: Aix-la-Chapelle; or ''Aquisgranum''; nl, Aken ; Polish: Akwizgran) is, with around 249,000 inhabitants, the 13th-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia, and the 28th- ...
and Saint-Gilles, as a center for the collection of
Peter's Pence Peter's Pence (or ''Denarii Sancti Petri'' and "Alms of St Peter") are donations or payments made directly to the Holy See of the Catholic Church. The practice began under the Saxons in England and spread through Europe. Both before and after the ...
. Other notable medieval visitors to Le Puy were Charles the Bald in 877, Odo, count of Paris in 892, Robert II in 1029, and
Philip Augustus Philip II (21 August 1165 – 14 July 1223), byname Philip Augustus (french: Philippe Auguste), was King of France from 1180 to 1223. His predecessors had been known as kings of the Franks, but from 1190 onward, Philip became the first French m ...
in 1183. Louis IX met James I of Aragon here in 1245, and in 1254, when passing through Le Puy on his return from the
Holy Land The Holy Land; Arabic: or is an area roughly located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Eastern Bank of the Jordan River, traditionally synonymous both with the biblical Land of Israel and with the region of Palestine. The term "Holy ...
, he gave the cathedral an ebony image of the Blessed Virgin clothed in gold brocade. She is one of the many dozens of venerable " Black Virgins" of France. It was destroyed during the Revolution, but replaced at the Restoration with a copy that continues to be venerated. After him, Le Puy was visited by Philip the Bold in 1282, by
Philip the Fair Philip IV (April–June 1268 – 29 November 1314), called Philip the Fair (french: Philippe le Bel), was King of France from 1285 to 1314. By virtue of his marriage with Joan I of Navarre, he was also King of Navarre as Philip I from 1 ...
in 1285, by Charles VI in 1394, by Charles VII in 1420, and by
Isabelle Romée Isabelle Romée, also known as Isabelle de Vouthon and Isabelle d'Arc (1377–1458) and Ysabeau Romee, was the mother of Joan of Arc. She grew up in Vouthon-Bas and later married Jacques d'Arc. The couple moved to Domrémy, where they owned a ...
, the mother of Joan of Arc, in 1429. Louis XI made the pilgrimage in 1436 and 1475, and in 1476 halted three leagues from the city and walked barefoot to the cathedral. Charles VIII visited it in 1495,
Francis I Francis I or Francis the First may refer to: * Francesco I Gonzaga (1366–1407) * Francis I, Duke of Brittany (1414–1450), reigned 1442–1450 * Francis I of France (1494–1547), King of France, reigned 1515–1547 * Francis I, Duke of Saxe ...
in 1533. The legendary ancient shrine on the summit of Mons Anicius, which drew so many, would seem to predate the founding of an early church of Our Lady of Le Puy at Anicium. It was attributed to Bishop Vosy, who transferred the episcopal see from Ruessium to Anicium. Crowning the hill was a megalithic
dolmen A dolmen () or portal tomb is a type of single-chamber megalithic tomb, usually consisting of two or more upright megaliths supporting a large flat horizontal capstone or "table". Most date from the early Neolithic (40003000 BCE) and were somet ...
. A local tradition rededicated the curative virtue of the sacred site to Mary, who healed ailments when a person touched the standing stone. When the founding bishop Vosy climbed the hill, he found that it was snow-covered in July; in the snowfall the tracks of a deer around the dolmen outlined the foundations of the future church. The Bishop was apprised in a vision that the angels themselves had dedicated the future cathedral to the Blessed Virgin, whence the epithet "Angelic" given to the cathedral of Le Puy. The great
dolmen A dolmen () or portal tomb is a type of single-chamber megalithic tomb, usually consisting of two or more upright megaliths supporting a large flat horizontal capstone or "table". Most date from the early Neolithic (40003000 BCE) and were somet ...
was left standing in the center of the Christian sanctuary, which was constructed around it; the stone was re-consecrated as the Throne of Mary. By the 8th century, however, the stone, popularly known as the "stone of visions", was taken down and broken up. Its pieces were incorporated into the floor of a particular section of the church that came to be called the ''Chambre Angélique'', or the "angels' chamber". It is impossible to say whether this St. Evodius is the same person who signed the decrees of the Council of Valence in 374. Neither can it be affirmed that St. Benignus, who in the 7th century founded a hospital at the gates of the basilica, and
St. Agrevius ST, St, or St. may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Stanza, in poetry * Suicidal Tendencies, an American heavy metal/hardcore punk band * Star Trek, a science-fiction media franchise * Summa Theologica, a compendium of Catholic philosophy an ...
, the 7th-century martyr from whom the town of Saint-Agrève Chiniacum took its name, were really bishops. Duchesne thinks that the chronology of these early bishops rests on very little evidence and that very ill-supported by documents. Before the 10th century, only six individuals are known of whom it can be said with certainty that they were bishops of Le Puy. The first of these, Scutarius, the legendary architect of the first cathedral, dates from the end of the 4th century according to an inscription that notes his name.. Adhemar, bishop of Le Puy was a central figure in the First Crusade. Pope Clement IV was also bishop of Le Puy. Though the ancient diocese was suppressed by the Concordat of 1801, it was re-erected in 1823.


Climate

Because of its altitude, Le Puy is close to a
warm-summer humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...
(Dfb) under the Köppen system but still remains oceanic (Cfb) due to its coldest month, slightly above freezing on average. The city is prone to mountain cold in winter, with at least four months with average lows below freezing and frequent snowfall, like in
Saint-Étienne Saint-Étienne (; frp, Sant-Etiève; oc, Sant Estève, ) is a city and the prefecture of the Loire department in eastern-central France, in the Massif Central, southwest of Lyon in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Saint-Étienne is the t ...
in the neighbouring department of Loire. Summers are pleasantly warm, with quite hot days and cool nights. On the 5th of March 2005, the temperature dipped to −22 Â°C.


Population


Sights

Le Puy-en-Velay's most striking attraction is the Cathédrale Notre-Dame du Puy, dating chiefly from the first half of the 12th century. The façade, striped in courses of white sandstone and black volcanic breccia, is reached by a flight of sixty steps, and consists of three orders, the lowest composed of three high arcades opening into the porch, which extends beneath the first
bays A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a gulf, sea, sound, or bight. A cove is a small, circular bay with a narr ...
of the nave. Above it are three central windows that light the nave, and above them are three gables on the gable-end of the nave, flanked by two openwork screening gables. The south transept doorway is sheltered by a Romanesque porch. Behind the choir rises a separate Romanesque bell-tower in seven storeys. The bays of the nave are roofed by octagonal cupolas, the cupola at the crossing forming a lantern; the choir and transepts are
barrel vault A barrel vault, also known as a tunnel vault, wagon vault or wagonhead vault, is an architectural element formed by the extrusion of a single curve (or pair of curves, in the case of a pointed barrel vault) along a given distance. The curves are ...
ed. The striking parti-colored cloister is connected to remains of 13th-century fortifications that separated the cathedral precincts from the rest of the city. Near the cathedral, the 11th-century baptistery of St John is built on Roman foundations. The iron statue of ''Notre-Dame de France'' (The Virgin Mary) overlooking the town was designed by the French sculptor Jean-Marie Bonnassieux, and is made from 213 Russian cannons taken in the Siege of Sevastopol (1854–1855). It was presented to the town on 12 September 1860 in front of 120,000 people. Three miles from Le Puy are the ruins of the Château de Polignac, one of the most important feudal strongholds. Each morning, pilgrims gather to be blessed before starting their journey to Santiago de Compostela. The cathedral has been a Unesco World Heritage Site since 1998, as part of the " Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France". Fountain Crozatier is also a noted site in the centre of the town.


Personalities

* Adhemar of Le Puy (c. 1045–1098), papal legate, one of the main leaders during the First Crusade *
Cédric Agrain Cédric Agrain (born 28 March 1985) is a French professional footballer who currently plays as a striker for Championnat National 3 club Trélissac FC. Career He played on the professional level in Ligue 2 for LB Châteauroux and Clermont Foot ...
(b. 1985), French professional footballer * Auguste Aymard (1808–1889), prehistorian, palaeontologist. * Marion Bartoli (b. 1984), tennis player, 2013 Wimbledon champion *
Peire Cardenal Peire Cardenal (or Cardinal) (c. 1180 – c. 1278) was a troubadour ( fl. 1204 – 1272) known for his satirical ''sirventes'' and his dislike of the clergy. Ninety-six pieces of his remain, a number rarely matched by other poets of the age.Aubrey, ...
(1180–1278), Occitan troubadour *
Antoine Clet Antoine Clet (1705–1785) was a French printer, publisher and writer of the 18th century. Early life Clet's father came from Dresden and settled in Le Puy at the end of the 17th century to become a printer's assistant. He published local edits ...
(1705–1785), king's printer, writer * Guillaume Coelho (b. 1986), professional footballer * Grégory Coupet (b. 1972), ex-football player for Lyon, French national team * Johanne Defay (b. 1993), born in Le Puy, professional surfer *
Charles Dupuy Charles Alexandre Dupuy (; 5 November 1851 – 23 July 1923) was a French statesman, three times prime minister. Biography He was born in Le Puy-en-Velay, Haute-Loire, Auvergne, where his father was a minor official. After a period as a profe ...
(1851–1923), politician, president of the council during the Third Republic * Émile Fayolle (1852–1928), marshall, commanded troops in World War I * Guy François (1578–1650), painter * Sidney Govou (b. 1979), football player for Evian TG, French national team *
Pierre Julien Pierre Julien (20 June 1731 – 17 December 1804) was a French sculptor who worked in a full range of rococo and neoclassical styles. He served an early apprenticeship at Le Puy-en-Velay, near his natal village of Saint-Paulien, then at the Écol ...
(1731–1804), neoclassical sculptor *
Bruno Julliard Bruno Julliard (born 9 February 1981) is a former student leader and politician of the Socialist Party (PS) who served as chairman of the UNEF, the main student union in France. More recently, he was the First Deputy Mayor of Paris between 2014 an ...
(b. 1981), chairman of UNEF, son of mayor of Le Puy-en-Velay, Arlette Arnaud-Landau *
Julien Malzieu Julien Malzieu (born 4 May 1983 in Le Puy-en-Velay, Haute-Loire, Auvergne) is a French rugby union and sevens player for in the Top 14 competition. Career A tall and rangy wing, Malzieu burst onto the international scene in the 2008 Six Nation ...
(b. 1983), rugby union player with ASM Clermont Auvergne, French national team *
Anne-Marie Martel Anne-Marie Martel (11 August 1644 – 15 January 1673) was a French Roman Catholic woman who gave religious instruction to poor women and children in Le Puy-en-Velay, Haute-Loire. She attracted other women who formed a teaching congregation, which ...
(1644–73), founder of what is now the Congrégation des Sœurs de l'Enfant-Jésus * Gustave Mesny (1886–1945), army general *
Pierre de Mirmande Pierre de Mirmande (fl. 1163–1203) was a French nobleman of the Order of Saint-John of Jerusalem from the end of the 12th century to the beginning of the 13th century. He served as interim Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller after the death ...
, dignitary and superior of the Order of Saint-John of Jerusalem during the Crusades *
Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette (6 September 1757 – 20 May 1834), known in the United States as Lafayette (, ), was a French aristocrat, freemasonry, freemason and military officer who fought in the Ameri ...
(1757–1834), born near Le-Puy-en-Velay, supporter of US during the war of independence * Jérémy Perbet (b. 1984), football player for RC Strasbourg and RAEC Mons * François Peyrard (1760–1822), first librarian of the École Polytechnique, scholar at the ''Collège'' of Le Puy in the 1770s * Charles-Émile Reynaud (1844–1918), inventor from a Le-Puy-en-Velay family, lived there for many years *
Jules Vallès Jules Vallès (11 June 1832 – 14 February 1885) was a French journalist, author, and left-wing political activist. Early life Vallès was born in Le Puy-en-Velay, Haute-Loire. His father was a supervisor of studies (''pion''), later a ...
(1832–1885), born in Le Puy, writer and journalist, author of ''L'Enfant'' *
Louis Vigouroux Louis Vigouroux (25 August 1865 – 16 November 1956) was a French economist and politician who was a national deputy from 1900 to 1910. He had liberal views, which he expressed in various books and magazine articles. Life Louis Vigouroux was b ...
(1865–1956), born in Le Puy, economist, deputy for Le Puy from 1900 to 1910 * Jean-Claude Risset (1938–2016), born in Le Puy, French composer, best known for his pioneering contributions to computer music


Twin cities

Le-Puy-en-Velay is twinned with the following towns: * Meschede, Germany * Tonbridge, United Kingdom * Tortosa, Spain * Brugherio, Italy * Mangualde, Portugal


Gastronomy

Le Puy is famous for a particular strain of green lentils and for its green liqueur " Verveine" flavored with verbena. The lentils, grown on the thin soils of the area, are very small and almost black in colour. Their unique quality and flavour derive from their high protein and relatively low carbohydrate content. They are widely used in soups and also to accompany goose, duck and sausage dishes. Le Puy green lentil (Lentille Verte du Puy) is an appellation recognised throughout the European Union (
Protected Designation of Origin The protected designation of origin (PDO) is a type of geographical indication of the European Union and the United Kingdom aimed at preserving the designations of origin of food-related products. The designation was created in 1992 and its main ...
).


Noteworthy events


Catholic Jubilee

The town holds a jubilee in years when the feast of the
Annunciation The Annunciation (from Latin '), also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Annunciation of Our Lady, or the Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the biblical tale of the announcement by the ange ...
falls on
Good Friday Good Friday is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. It is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday (also Hol ...
. The Jubilee of Le Puy (see Jubilé du Puy-en-Velay in the French Wikipedia) occurred last in 2005 and 2016, but the next occurrence will not be until 2157. The Jubilee of Le Puy is the oldest aside from those of Rome and Jerusalem, taking its original cue from the statement of a monk Bernhard who predicted the end of the world in 992 when the feast of the
Annunciation The Annunciation (from Latin '), also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Annunciation of Our Lady, or the Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the biblical tale of the announcement by the ange ...
would fall on
Good Friday Good Friday is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. It is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday (also Hol ...
. The number of pilgrims to Le Puy was so remarkable that, after the dread date had safely passed, Pope John XV declared that each such date would be marked by a Jubilee. The first such anniversary occurred in 1065. In the Jubilee of 1407, the press of the crowd was so great that two hundred pilgrims suffocated. Of three Jubilees in the 20th century, the Jubilee of 1932 attracted over 300,000 pilgrims.


Tour de France

Le Puy has hosted the Tour de France on six occasions. In 1954, it was the finish town of stage 15, from
Millau Millau (; oc, Milhau ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Aveyron Departments of France, department in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region in Southern France. One of two Subprefectures in France, subp ...
, which was won by Dominique Forlini. The next day, Jean Forestier won the race from Le Puy to Lyon. The race did not return until 1990, when the riders retraced their predecessors' route to Millau. Marino Lejarreta won the day. In 1996 the town again hosted two stages, stage 12 from Valence, won by Pascal Richard, and stage 13 to Super-Besse, won by Rolf Sørensen. Recently,
Giuseppe Guerini Giuseppe Guerini (born 14 February 1970) is a retired Italy, Italian professional road bicycle racer. He was known throughout his career as a climbing specialist and had pronounced success in cycling's Grand Tour (cycling), Grand Tour events. He ...
won the stage from Issoire in 2005. Stage 15 of the 2017 Tour de France finished in Le Puy-en-Velay. It was won by
Bauke Mollema , birth_date = , birth_place = Groningen, Netherlands , height = , weight = , currentteam = , discipline = Road , role = Rider , ridertype = All-rounder , amateuryears1 = 2004–2006 , amateurtea ...
of Trek-Segafredo.


Fête du Roi de l'Oiseau

It is an annual event held for five days in late September, during which the attendants reenact a Renaissance style living, showcasing costumes, culinary traditions and spectacles inspired by the 16th century.


See also

* Musée Crozatier *
List of the works of Charles Cottet depicting scenes of Brittany Charles Cottet (21 July 1863 – 25 September 1925) was a French painter. He was born in Le Puy-en-Velay and died in Paris. Biographical detail Although not born in Brittany it was a visit there in 1886 that led to a life-time fascination wit ...


References

*Ean Begg. 1996 (rev. edition). ''The Cult of the Black Virgin'' (Penguin)
Christian Lauranson-Rosaz, "La Paix des Montagnes: Les origines auvergnates de la Paix de Dieu"
esp. note 89.


External links

* Le Puy-en-Velay Hiking Trails

(in English)

(in English)
Regordane Info – The independent portal for The Regordane Way or St Gilles Trail
(in English and French)

(in English)
City council website
(in French)
Tourist Office website




historical notes (in French)

Cathedral of Notre Dame at Le Puy * {{DEFAULTSORT:Puyenvelay Communes of Haute-Loire Prefectures in France Velay