Vaux-sur-Mer

Vaux- sur -Mer is a West commune with 3879 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2011 ) in the department of Charente -Maritime in the Poitou -Charentes.

Location

Vaux- sur- Mer is located on the northeastern shore of the Gironde, the part of the historic cultural landscape of the Saintonge. The nearest major town is Royan ( about three kilometers south-east route ).

Demographics

In 1800, Vaux- sur -Mer had 320 inhabitants; thereafter, the population of the town has been growing steadily (1901: 537 inhabitants / 1954: 1.038 inhabitants), which is mainly due to the proximity to the city Royan.

Economy

Played centuries ago, agriculture and fishing are the dominant roles in the economy of the community. This is one of the Bons Bois wine-growing region of Cognac, but because of the slump in sales in expensive brandies wine is grown barely; the farmers in the area have returned to 'normal' agriculture. Since the 1960s, tourism plays a significant role in the economic life of the village.

History

Formerly it was in the municipal area, the ruins of two megalithic tombs ( dolmen ), but they are both gone for good in the 19th century; other prehistoric and Gallo -Roman remains have been found. In 1075 Benedictine monks founded the Abbey of Saint- Étienne, which was already destroyed almost 100 years later ( 1167 ) by Guibert de Royan, a powerful become landlords ( seigneur ), for the first time. Shortly thereafter ( 1170 ), Pope Alexander III. in a bull the possessions of the abbey, which by now several churches and villages in Saintonge belonged, including Thaims, Arce -sur -Gironde and Saint- Sulpice -de- Royan, so that she could have an annual income of about 3000 Gold Florin. In the years of the great plague of 1348, the monks left the abbey; after their resettlement ( 1418 ) the annual revenues were estimated at only 150 gold florins. In the time of the Wars of Religion (1562-1598) occupied the abbey Protestants and destroyed a second time - only the Ostpartie and parts of the walls of the nave remain. Since the last abbot of the monastery, the Abbé de Castin Guéris de la Magdelaine refused to swear the oath to the Constitution Revolution, he was deported. Towards the end of the Second World War the city suffered another heavy destruction.

Attractions

• The Catholic Parish Church ( Église Saint- Étienne ) formerly belonged to a medieval abbey, of which, however, due to the destruction during the Wars of only the Romanesque choir room with apse and part of the square crossing tower are preserved with accompanying circular stair tower. Choir and apse show in the exterior a two-storey structure with a completely unadorned lower level, which is divided only presented half-columns in the vertical, and encircled by arcades floor - the apse window with its set columns is the only common element between the two zones. Both the larger half-columns as well as the smaller little columns show rich Kapitellschmuck and below the eaves runs a partly figurative designed console frieze. The original crossing tower was stabilized and rebuilt in unadorned forms, the ruins of the nave walls were torn down in the 19th century. In the sanctuary, there are four Romanesque capitals; one shows the stoning (Acts 7.54 to 60 EU) of St.. Stephen, the church's patron saint. The church is recognized as a monument historique since 1913.
• The former abbey church is surrounded by a medieval cemetery with a wealth of sarcophagi and tombs from all periods. This cemetery is also recognized as a monument historique since 1936.
• Only a few meters from the church is the former city palace of the lord ( seigneur ) from the late 18th century; but only in the 19th century it received its present shape. Today, the town hall ( mairie ) there is housed.
• The Protestant church ( temple ) to 1847 once stood on the outskirts. Compared to the other Protestant churches in the area, it is extremely kept simple and unadorned.
• In the 19th century seaside resort Pontaillac was built on the territory of the municipalities of Vaux -sur- Mer, Royan, in which a simple neo-Romanesque chapel was also built.

Town hall

Chapel of Pontaillac

Partner community

• Anglès, Catalonia