Cholet

Cholet (in Poitevin-saintongeais Cholét ) is a common French, Sous-préfecture of the department of Maine-et-Loire in the area Pays of the Loire. It belonged to the old country of the Mauges.

Its inhabitants is called Choletais.

Geography

August 1st

  • Latitude: 47.062

  • Longitude: -0.88
  • Altitude: 124 m

History

The name “cholet” would come from Latin coletum (Cabbages). Important ancient establishments were discovered not far from there, with Mazières-in-Mauges.

Cité des Mauges, it was conquered by Foulque Nerra count of Anjou during the expansion angevine at the 10th century.

In 1343, salt becomes a state monopoly by an ordinance of the king Philippe VI of Valois, which institutes the gabelle , the tax on salt. The Anjou belongs to the countries of “large gabelle” and includes/understands sixteen special courts or “attics with salt”, of which that of Cholet.

Antoinette de Maignelais, lady of Cholet, was the mistress of François II duke of Brittany at the 15th century. Other families of lords marked the history of the city: de Broons, Beauveau and the Red (in particular Gabriel-François de Rougé, count de Rougé, marquis de Cholet, in the honor of which one created the place of Rougé, in the center of the city).

The Textile industry was at the origin of the development of the city under the Ancien Mode then of its fast raising after the terrible destruction of the Guerre of the Vendée (Bataille of Cholet). Spinning mills, weavings and laundries marked the landscape of the city with 19th. Some big families of merchant-manufacturers made work thousands of tisserands at the cellar in the surroundings (see the habitat characteristic of the “houses of tisserands”).

As of the end of XIXe S., the mechanization of weavings led the country choletais with a first reconversion in the shoes to occupy its tisserands unemployed. Textile industry declining gradually since the Years 1950, other industries were established (Michelin in particular) and a remarkable urban development transformed the Sous-préfecture into a true medium-sized city, important shopping mall (presence for example of stores of factory in the common neighbor of Séguinière) with the diversified Industrie S and sits of the second Bassin of employment of the Pays area of the Loire after the agglomeration Nantes-St-Nazaire. The city suffers nevertheless from a lack of tertiary employment. It was also disadvantaged by a certain enclavement in the past, but the recent construction of the highway decreased this irrefutable fact.

Economy

The first great activities Industrie it, of course, were turned towards the textile. This activity worked the landscape choletais and leaves there, today still, of traces (house of the tisserands, college of the mode, museum of the textile, establishments of Entreprise S like NewMan, etc).

One of its textile specialities is its famous red Mouchoir, which made of Cholet the “capital of the handkerchief”. Theodore Botrel made a song besides of it. The history of this handkerchief goes back to the Guerre of the Vendée. It would be the Vendean general Cart who would have used a white handkerchief to bandage a wound, this one became red with its blood. Since the tradition of the handkerchief remained.

To these textile activities other industries of even international national fame are added: Michelin, Baby Comfort, Nicoll, the bee, Thalès, Charal…

Cholet is the seat of the Chamber of commerce and industry of Choletais.

Administration

In 1973, Cholet amalgamated with the common neighbor of the Puy-Saint-Bonnet, which was located in the department of the Two-Sevres. The limits of departments were thus modified on this occasion. The Puy-Saint-Bonnet preserved the statute of Commune partner, and counted 1  760 inhabitants in 1999.

Cholet is Chef-lieu of three cantons :

Some choletais, like the mayor Gilles Bourdouleix, feel isolated in the Département from Maine-et-Loire and claim the fastening of Cholet and its agglomeration at the department of the the Vendée, with which it maintains close relations since decades. A first referendum for a “association” with the Vendée should be subjected to Choletais to the second half-year 2007.

Cholet in addition forms part of the Communauté of agglomeration of Choletais.

Twin towns

  • , partner since 1990
  • , twinning of the Community of Communes (presentation of twinning by the Inhabitants of Quebec of Sorel-Tracy)
Other partnerships are in hand, to see the site of the city.

Demography

From the population Cholet is the second city of the department of Maine-et-Loire (56 320 hab.). Source for 2005: http://www.agglo-choletais.fr/agglo/dossiers/cholet.html

Transport

Cholet is located at the crossroads of 2 highways:
  • the A87 connecting Angers (to 65 km) to the Rock on Yon (to 55 km)
  • the RN249 (future A870) connecting Nantes (to 60 km) to Poitiers (in project)

Cholet has an airport (code AITA: THIS).

Demonstrations and equipment cultural and sporting

Cholet is known for its team of Basket-ball which evolves/moves in Pro has.
  • Cholet is the cultural seat of the regional Théâtre of the Countries of the Loire.
  • Cycle race Cholet-Country of the Loire.
  • French-speaking Festival of theater amateur " Arlequins" , in April (http://www.ville-cholet.fr/arlequins/)
  • " The summer cigale" , free concerts of Friday evening during the summer
  • " Garden of verre" , concert hall of current musics (http://www.jardindeverre.fr/)
  • Festival of data base engaged at the beginning of May (http://www.bandesapart.org)
  • " Z' allumés" May
  • Town Meal, at the beginning of June
  • Carnival of Cholet April
  • Turn of Cholet
  • Tournament of football Carisport (http://www.carisport.asso.fr/)
  • International Tournament Juniors by Young person-France of Cholet (tennis shoe)
  • Exhibition
  • municipal Theater
  • School of circus " The Cup-and-ball - C.A.E."
  • School of visual arts
  • Music school, dance and dramatic art
  • Media library and College library
  • Company of sciences, letters and arts of Cholet
  • Glisséo, complex skating rink and swimming pool
  • Center of initiation to the sports of outdoor
  • international
  • Social center and sociocultural of the Orchard
  • Social center and sociocultural of Planty
  • Social center and sociocultural Pasteur
  • Social center and sociocultural air Meeting Convergence
  • Social center and sociocultural Horizon
  • Wall of Climbing " Laurent Bernard" Salle Chambord
  • Cholet is a flowered city having obtained four flowers with the Concours of the cities and flowered villages with the prize list 2006.

Tourist monuments and places

  • Church of the Sacred Heart
  • Church Notre-Dame
  • Turn of the Attic with Salt
  • Theater
  • Museum of art and history: the gallery of history is mainly devoted to the wars of the Vendée, with in particular the series of the full-length portraits of the generals counter-revolutionaries. The art gallery includes/understands in particular works of the painter Pierre Charles Trémolières, native of Cholet, as well as a collection of contemporary art.
  • Museum of the textile: in the old laundry of the Sauvageau river, it presents the techniques of weaving and bleaching of the fabrics. Place of production of the “red handkerchief of Cholet”.
  • Many green areas: Lake Ribou, lake of the Verdon, pond of the Valleys, park of Monk, garden of the Email

Personalities related to Cholet

See too

External bonds

  • Town of Cholet and Tourist office of Choletais.
  • Municipal Office of the Sports
  • Cholet on: Wikitravel, Quid, the general advice of Maine-et-Loire
  • Localization on chart of France, Data IGN, Statistical INSEE

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