Plassay

Plassay is a West commune of 700 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2011 ) in the department of Charente -Maritime in the Poitou -Charentes.

Location

Plassay lies at an altitude of about 35 meters above sea level. inst in the historic cultural landscape of the Saintonge about 13.5 km ( driving distance ) west of Saintes and 33 kilometers southeast of Rochefort.

Demographics

In the 19th century the place was always between 600 and 800 inhabitants. The phylloxera crisis and the mechanization of agriculture led to a population decline, which could be stopped in the last few decades because of its proximity to the cities of Saintes and Rochefort, and the comparatively low rents and land prices in Plassay.

Economy

For centuries agriculture for the purpose of self-sufficiency of the population played the largest role in the economy of the community. But was grown in area since the Roman time, wine was distilled since the early modern period and exported to northern Europe ( esp. England ). Sainte -Gemme is one of the Bois ordinaires et communs of the vineyard Cognac, but most grapes are processed into wine and Pineau des Charentes. Until the 19th century, significant was the mining of limestone, which was exported on ships to the USA to build, for example, the base of the Statue of Liberty with it.

History

The fact that the place has a Romanesque church, suggests a long settling time.

Attractions

The completely built from precision machined dressed stone Romanesque church is a long, but rather austere building of the 12th century. Since the western facade has collapsed sometime in the 17th or 18th century and - largely unadorned - was rebuilt in neoclassical style of the time, the arcades arches on the exterior walls are simply remarkable, which are additionally decorated in the range of the choir and the apse with teeth arches. The late Gothic South Tower was added in the 15th century, a crossing tower, it has probably never existed. The interior of the church is covered with a wooden nave and vaulted; only the Apsiskalotte is vaulted in stone. In the choir area, some figurative and vegetable capitals have received.