Sainte-Magnance () is a
commune in the
Yonne
Yonne (, in Burgundian: ''Ghienne'') is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in France. It is named after the river Yonne, which flows through it, in the country's north-central part. One of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté's eight con ...
department in
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (; , sometimes abbreviated BFC; Arpitan: ''Borgogne-Franche-Comtât'') is a region in eastern France created by the 2014 territorial reform of French regions, from a merger of Burgundy and Franche-Comté. The new region ...
in north-central
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
.
History
The village was originally named Saint-Pierre-sous-Cordois.
In 448 bishop
Germanus of Auxerre
Germanus of Auxerre (; ; ; 378 – c. 442–448 AD) was a western Roman clergyman who was bishop of Autissiodorum in Late Antique Gaul. He abandoned a career as a high-ranking government official to devote his formidable energy towards the pr ...
(380 - 448) died in
Ravenna
Ravenna ( ; , also ; ) is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy. It was the capital city of the Western Roman Empire during the 5th century until its Fall of Rome, collapse in 476, after which ...
on the
Adriatic
The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Se ...
coast. Magnance, a young woman from
Ravenna
Ravenna ( ; , also ; ) is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy. It was the capital city of the Western Roman Empire during the 5th century until its Fall of Rome, collapse in 476, after which ...
accompanied his remains back to
Auxerre
Auxerre ( , , Burgundian language (Oïl), Burgundian: ''Auchoirre'') is the capital (Prefectures in France, prefecture) of the Yonne Departments of France, department and the fourth-largest city in the Burgundy historical region southeast of Par ...
, but she died on the way near the Saint-Pierre-sous-Cordois village, in November 448. Her travelling companions buried her there. Then she was forgotten, until the 7th century when a pilgrim came to rest at the same spot, laying his head on a horse's skull. During his sleep he dreamed of Magnance protecting him from a snake. Upon awakening he found that there was a snake in the horse's skull. He told the story at the village. The inhabitants went and found Magnance's body, brought it back to the village, buried her in the church and renamed their village "Sainte-Magnance" in her honour. Her tomb is still in the village church.
In the 11th century a chapel was erected on the spot where she had died; it was destroyed during the 18th century. In the 2000s (decade), a woman from the village made a donation to the village in her will, in order for a statue to be erected where the chapel had once stood. This was done in 2009. Her story is told on a sign accompanying the statue, which stands on the edge of a wood, on the side of the D906 road between Sainte-Magnance (
Yonne
Yonne (, in Burgundian: ''Ghienne'') is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in France. It is named after the river Yonne, which flows through it, in the country's north-central part. One of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté's eight con ...
) and
Rouvray (
Côte-d'Or
Côte-d'Or () is a département in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region of Northeastern France. In 2019, it had a population of 534,124. ). The D906 at this place is the limit between the two departments; the statue is in the
Côte-d'Or
Côte-d'Or () is a département in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region of Northeastern France. In 2019, it had a population of 534,124. side of the road but is very much linked with the
Yonne
Yonne (, in Burgundian: ''Ghienne'') is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in France. It is named after the river Yonne, which flows through it, in the country's north-central part. One of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté's eight con ...
village of Sainte-Magnance.
There is easy parking nearby, and a plunging view from that spot onto Sainte-Magnance village at the bottom of the straight stretch of the old Roman road which is now the D906.
Environment
Sainte-Magnance stands within the
Morvan Regional Natural Park
Morvan Regional Natural Park (, ) is a protected area of woodlands, lakes and traditional farmland in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region of central France. It covers a total area of and extends through four different departments with the majorit ...
.
File:Sépulture-de-Magnance.jpg, Magnance tomb, Victor Petit, 1870
File:Sépulture-de-Magnance 2.jpg, Magnance tomb
See also
*
Communes of the Yonne department
The following is a list of the 423 communes of the Yonne department of France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French ...
References
Communes of Yonne
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