Blesle

Blesle is a common French, located in the department of the Haute-Loire and the area Auvergne. It is classified among the most beautiful villages of France.

Its inhabitants are Bleslois (be).

Ethymologic origin of the name of the village

Blesle is a name of Romance origin. (Ecclesiastical Order). Communal onomastics borrowed from the Christian religion a great number of terms, of which the ones belong to common nouns and the others to names of saints (…) The names of saints enter the composition of sixty-eight communal terms: Saint-Andrew, Sanctus Andreas; Saint-frames (2), Sanctus Arconcius (…) It is naturally necessary to include/understand in this category the communes of Blesle, Blesilla, from which the Sancta adjective disappeared, and Sambadel, form faded of the old denomination Sanctus Baudelius.

History

The village bleslois is located in a valley dominated by a basaltic cliff (made up inter alia by the “basaltic organ”) at the junction of Voireuze and Merdan, this first joining lower Alagnon. Located on the Neolithic site of Chadecol, this site was arranged 4000 years ago. Then the presence of a parochial seat Mérovingien suggests a settlement Gallo-Roman. Finally its rise begins at the time of the foundation of the monastery at the end of the 9th century, supplemented by the construction of a castle at the 11th century.

Foundation of the Saint Pierre abbey of Blesle at the end of the 9th century

The first mention of the foundation of the abbey bénédictine is revealed by a written letter in 1095 and making state of its construction between 849 and 885. Its founder is Ermengarde of Auvergne, mother of Guillaume the Piles, duke of Aquitaine and founder of the Abbaye of Cluny. The possessions of the abbey are then placed under pontifical protection making it possible to increase the territory and incentive the nuns to create priories with Autrac, Saint-Etienne-on-Blesle, Bousselargues, Leyvaux or Molèdes. In Blesle, the abbess was lord of the city.

Arrival of the barons de Mercœur at the end of the 11th century

At the end of the 11th century, the powerful barons of the Mercœur decided to settle in Blesle and thus cause a feudal fight between them and the abbesses, these last combatant their empiètrement on the rights of the abbey. First of all the barons will try to seize in vain the abbey at the end of the 11th century, it is only at the beginning of the 13th century with the support of the royal capacity that they seized the capacities of justice on Blesle and became Co-lords.

To reconcile the two camps, the barons have many grounds in the city to build their castle, exchanges some they will ensure the defense of the monastery and will pay homage for this concerning stronghold abbey. Despite everything, the barons, by their weights, managed to build a reinforced imposing tower of two buttresses by facen (current tower with the twenty angles) in spite of the protests of the abbesses.

At the same time, the abbey church Saint Pierre is remade, indeed the major part of its building dates from the 12th century, with the construction of two absidioles southernmost and of the chorus, finally being given various stages of its construction in time, its originality is due to the apse and the chorus which are vaster than the Nef. The moniales lived as for them in houses giving on the interior court of the convent. At the 14th century, one second church is built because of the increase in population: the church Martin Saint.

Slow decline as from the 15th century

Without becoming Chanoinesse S, the nuns decide to give up the common life for houses in two places, one behind the bedside of the church, the other in the court of the abbey in the west of the church. The abbey is at that time aggregate with the Ordre of Cluny. It is only into 1789 that the abbey is transformed into college of chanoinesses, before its suppression during the Révolution.

On their side, the lords of Mercœur see their castle falling in ruin, it will be taken again at the end of the 18th century by Chavaniac (blesloise family) which gives it in state by modifying it deeply.

Beside that, the villagers for the majority are sheltered by houses in wood side, architecture original reflecting the commercial and artisanal functions borough. This architecture was maintained until the 19th century. Another event of this period is in 1558, when Blesle was retained like one of the “thirteen good cities” of Auvergne, marking the dedication of the importance of the village.

French revolution

Under the French revolution, the village is clearly modified, first of all the church Pierre saint, retained like parish church, loses its bell-tower, on the other hand the other church of the village Saint Martin is completely destroyed after being sold as quite national except for its bell-tower which is preserved in order to place the communal clock there.

Long decline and rural migration

Prosperous village until the 17th century because of the craft industry and many local industries (breeding, tanning, weaving of fabric of hemp), the arrival of the railroad in Blesle has as a consequence the Rural migration towards the big cities, only the exploitation of the Antimoine resists but its extraction will be stopped in 1925, the factories will continue to turn until 1958 with the foreign ore importation before their destruction. Moreover, the village will lose many young people because of the war, in particular the First World War, sent on the face (a war memorial there is installed).

Development of tourism at the end of the 20th century

To face that, the policy of the commune is turned towards the development of the Tourisme while being based on the cultural richness of the village and its vestiges, supported by the general advice to restore the foundations (church saint hones, holy bell-tower Martin, Tour with the twenty angles…)

Administration

Demography

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bar: 1962 text: 1962 bar: 1968 text: 1968 bar: 1975 text: 1975 bar: 1982 text: 1982 bar: 1990 text: 1990 bar: 1999 text: 1999

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color: width barred: 20 align: left bar: 1962 from: 0 till: 837 bar: 1968 from: 0 till: 847 bar: 1975 from: 0 till: 832 bar: 1982 from: 0 till: 824 bar: 1990 from: 0 till: 703 bar: 1999 from: 0 till: 660

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bar: 1962 At: 837 fontsize: S text: 837 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1968 At: 847 fontsize: S text: 847 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1975 At: 832 fontsize: S text: 832 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1982 At: 824 fontsize: S text: 824 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1990 At: 703 fontsize: S text: 703 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1999 At: 660 fontsize: S text: 660 shift: (- 10,5)

Evolution of the population of Blesle over the period 1962 - 1999, according to INSEE

Places and monuments

the tower with the twenty angles
the church Saint-Pierre
the vault of Chaigne
the bell-tower Saint Martin's day
the tower of guet of Massadou
the old hospital

Personalities related to the commune

Count François Jacques Léo de Molen de Saint-Poncy, born in Blesle on March 13rd, 1825, Prefect of the Haute-Loire (1870), publicity agent, author of important a " History of Marguerite de Valois, queen of France and Navarre" (1887). It also published " Fruits of Révolution" (1893) and a " Historical note on Blesle and the abbey of Saint-Pierre de Blesle" (1869). See the " Biographical dictionary High-Loire" of Gaston Joubert (2004).

Gerard Klein
Edouard Onslow

Photograph gallery

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