History of the Vendée
Prehistory with the history
The settlement of the Vendée is very old. The Neolithic left many traces of multiple randomly found polished stones ploughings and a score of camps, of which that of Field-Durand with Nieul-on-L' Autise, which shows populations living of the breeding. At one later time undoubtedly, one notes abundant Mégalithe S scattered in the Vendée, however more concentrated on the island of Yeu and the Talmondais. the Bernard and Avrillé conceal in quantity Dolmen S and Menhir S.
The Celtic bringing with them the age of iron, the Pictons settle between the gulf which bears their name - become the Marais poitevin today - and the areas in southernmost edge of the the Loire. Three tribes are generally distinguished:
- the Ambiliates in north, between Mortagne and the Herbaria;
- the Agnatutes in the center, until worms Chantonnay and perhaps Holy-Hermine;
- the Agésinates Cambalectri in the west, in edge of the littoral, and whose capital was Aizenay.
Gallo-Romans in the Vendée
The Low-Poitou and the Brittany see arriving the legions of César in 67 av. J. - Christ. the chief of the Pictons, Duratius, which objectively perceives the little of chances of victory considering many divisions of the tribes, goes to avoid the destruction, at the time of the head office of Durinum (Saint-Georges-of-Montaigu). César makes a pact with Pictons and orders from these sailors of the boats to fight against the Celtes of north, the Vénètes, boats which will be built in Sidunum (Saint-Gilles) and, in exchange, exonerates them taxes. But it is done only starting from Alésia that Low-Poitou will be Roman, since Pictons had sent 8.000 men to help Vercingétorix in its fight.
Then is born the Gallo-Roman co-operation during which the occupants structure the administration and the company, while Pictons cultivate a very difficult ground successfully and, by the coast, multiply the grace commercial exchanges in particular to mysterious Portus Secor. Roman ways furrow the country, energy of the south in north, connecting Fontenay-the-Count to Déas ( Saint-Philbert-of-Large-Place) by Aizenay, or connecting Bélesbat (the disappeared antique quoted) to Déas by Mothe-Achard and Apremont.
Little by little, christianization penetrates Low-Poitou. When Saint-Domnin is martyrisé in Avrillé (he refused to abjure its fol Christian vis-a-vis a Roman legionary), the Constantin emperor did not convert yet with the new religion. It is thus only at the 4th century that this one, become official, will be able to spread itself without danger in our regions. Several evangelists work in Low-Poitou preaching and christianizing the places of old Celtic worship (wood crowned and fountains). Saint-Hilaire (whose 8 communes had the memory in their name), Saint Martin's day de Vertou (with the patronym also preserved by 5 communes) are most active. But Saint-Beno4it cheeses in the surroundings of Aizenay and Saint-Live in the country of Olonne, just like Saint-Macaire and Saint-Florent-the-Old in the Mauges, also contributes to the expansion of Christianity. With them the Church develops and are established the bases of the monarchism when occur at the 5th century the cruel invasions.
Cruel invasions and the Carolingian period
The Roman domination on Low-Poitou was beaten in breach when, in first half of the 5th century, the Visigoths broke. The the Vendée, undoubtedly little marked by these people installed more in the south, which she obeys however, passes then under the supervision of the Francs (victory of Clovis to Vouillé in 507) and, according to the divisions of heritages which succeed to him, knows political anarchy. Occur then the invasions of Sarrazins, demolished with Poitiers in 732 by Charles Martel and whose tradition claims that some of them, escaped to the rout, would have come as far as the Vendée to make stock there. At that time, the Carolingian villas, which precede the future seigniories, building Charlemagne are set up what will be the feudal administration, while, not far from the coasts, set up many abbeys. Thus Saint-Philbert founds Noimoutier, then Luçon and Saint-Michel-in-the Herm, which will suffer the first from the invasions of the Vikings. The drakkars are anchored on our coasts, in bay of Bourgneuf, the island of Noimoutier and the gulf of Pictons in the many islands, the marshes of Olonne and Talmondais. They go up the small coastal rivers, Vie, Jaunay, Lay and Sèvre to further carry there their violences and their ruin. During nearly one century, the coasts of Low-Poitou are often devastated and live in the fear.
In 820 the seigniories of the Low-Poitou are organized in order to fight effectively against the threat Viking. They gather in order to be defended effectively against the raids Normans. Thus the county of Herbauges was created.
The county of Herbauges recovered the Low-Poitou including/understanding the Pays of current Retz, plus the north of the the Vendée from the coastal islands (Noirmoutier, Bouin), until Tiffauges, the valley of Clisson and the Mauges inside the grounds.
It will be necessary that the king Charles the Bald person gives to the Viking S what will become the Normandy and which, the country being covered of fortifications, the count of Limoges resists in 1018, so that persecutions really end.
The Middle Ages and feudal quarrels
Born easily by the need for protection that the populations tested, feudality weaves the meshs of its hierarchy and organizes the company around the two poles which are the church and the castle. The abbeys multiply (Maillezais, the island Chauvet, Grainetière, Trizay) and found multiple priories and as many parishes. They know a strong prosperity thanks to the donations made by the most powerful lords who want to help with the redemption of their heart. A little everywhere the monks put themselves at work, attacking with the forests or the cleansing of the marshes, while the first feudal mounds equipped with wood fortifications are replaced by imposing strong hardcore castles heavy. Thus in Fontenay the Count, Luçon, Montaigu, Apremont, Talmont, Olonne, Mervent, the Herbaria. With the head of this area the counts of Poitou are, which are also dukes of Aquitaine. It is the time of an economic expansion, with progress of the agriculture and development of the coastal activities, fishes, trade and salt, and nun, with the erection of many churches of Romance style, of which some remain: The Chaize-the-Viscount, Foussais, Longeville, Saint-Nicolas-of Brem, Old man-Pouzauges for example.
Poitou passes then to the hands of England by the remarriage of Aliénor of Aquitaine, heiress of the counts de Poitou, with the king of England Henri It Plantagenêt in 1157. This one tries to impose on Poitevins laws and habits which are not their and Richard Lion-hearted, his/her son, who likes much Low-Poitou, revolts against his father before succeeding to him in 1189. Richard Lion-hearted, who makes of Talmont his place of residence in our country, fills his favors the abbeys of Talmont and Orbestiers and founds those of Place-God in Jard and Angles.
But with its death, it is his/her Jean brother who succeeds to him. Covetous sovereign and violent one, it with the silly thing to be caught some with the big family of Lusignan, which causes the reaction of feudal of Poitou and, on their request, the intervention of the king de France Philippe-Auguste which reconquers the province. In fact, the situation will be undecided until 1214 when Philippe-Auguste demolishes Jean with Bouvines and grants to the middle-class men of Poitiers privileges. Poitou will be really French when Saint-Louis, against which Geoffroy Grand' Dent revolted, reconquers it. It then gives it in prerogative to his brother Alphonse, the man with multiple qualities which allow the development of its county. The 13th century is one period of commercial progress (for Fontenay and Vendean ports), of improvement of the country condition (stamping from many serfs), of draining of the marshy zones (Breton Marsh and Poitevin) and of development of the Church (évêché of Poitiers is decreased by évêchés of Luçon and Maillezais lately made up in 1317).
The One hundred Year old war
When the Plantagenêts affirm their will to reconstitute the great anglo-Norman-Aquitanian state, the Poitou is concerned in the highest degree. The war, as from 1346 with Crécy, concentrates in the north of France, but the Vendean coast knows the incursions of the English, who unload in Talmont and set fire to the abbey of Orbestiers. An epidemic of Black Death then makes pass the engagements in the second plan (1348-1350).
The second countryside sees the English unloading in Poitou and overcoming Jean the Good in Poitiers in 1356. Jean Chandos, lieutenant of Prince Noir (Richard II) conquers Niort, Fontenay, the Roche-sur-Yon, Montaigu, and its troops sow through the campaigns the " terror anglaise". The Traité of Brétigny gives to the enemy the territories poitevins (1360).
Charles V breaks the treaty in 1369, names Bertrand of Guesclin constable and the reconquest entrusts to him. This one, helped by Olivier de Clisson, exhausts the English by a continuous harassing, begins again at lost cities and even makes fall Poitiers in 1372. The king rewards it by entrusting the châtellenie to him for Fontenay. The Poitou is allocated then in prerogative to the brother of the king the duke of Berry (that of the " Very Rich Heures") and, during twenty years, is raised of the ruin, restores its defenses and finds quietude.
But the civil war and the disorders, increased incapacity of an insane king (Charles VI), start again the ambitions of king d' Angleterre. Henri V unloads in Normandy, triumph with Azincourt in 1415 and is made deliver the kingdom of France by the Traité of Troyes. The dolphin (future Charles VII) takes refuge in Poitiers from which it makes his capital, but its army undergoes only reverses against the occupants.
At this point in time emerges Jeanne d' Arc. At the time of her epopee, the Virgin of Orleans is accompanied by many lords by Low-Poitou: the too famous Gilles de Rays, Dunois de Mervent, Chub-Perceval of the Roche-sur-Yon and Arthur de Richemont of Fontenay. In spite of the arrest of heroin, the impulse is given and the armies of remarkable Charles VII, battles after battle, will reconquer the kingdom by the victories of Foussigny (1450) and Castillon (1453).
Of Louis XI with the Rebirth
After these long periods of disorders, the territories bas-poitevins enter one century of prosperity. The first sovereign according to the One hundred Year old war, Louis XI, likes and knows the Vendée since he comes there to order the development of the port of Sands in 1472. He grants communal freedoms to Fontenay and special fiscal advantages in Sablais. Economic prosperity returns with the progression of the trade of salt, becoming the Poitevin Marsh, at the 16th century, a large European warehouse for this food product.
Fontenay-the-count, in edge of the marsh, becomes a large city, capital of Low-Poitou, and knows a intellectual and artistic awakening of first order, accompanied by a beautiful dash of town planning. All that the Rebirth posts of innovations and elegances finds in this " capital of beautiful the esprits" , as it was named at the time. The lawyers Tiraqueau, Brisson, the poets Painter, Rivaudeau and the Rabelais writers, the Brissot scientists, Viète and the Liénard artists of Réau, Colombe carry very far the fame from the city, with the point of progress of knowledge and arts. The movement overflows with the whole of the Vendée where flower of many residences in the new taste, impregnated of relents Italian: Newfoundland, Puy of Insane, Apremont, Barns-Cathus.
But this research of the innovation is inserted until in the beliefs and the Christian faith. The Rebirth, in the Vendée like everywhere, is inseparable from the Reform.
The Reform and wars of religion
Since 1515, Parthenay of the Archbishop of the Soubise Park in Mouchamps are favorable to the Reform, wish less license in the Church and more rigor in the doctrines.
When Calvin arrives at Poitiers in 1534, it finds a favorable ground, and its ideas are spread. Already the first persecutions start in the Vendée against reformed. In Essarts, where Marie Bécot is burned alive, in Fontenay, in Breuil-Barret, Bournezeau, with the Chestnut grove, everywhere of the men or the women are stopped and condemned to died between 1534 and 1548, while, reinforced by repression instead of in being reduced, the religion calvinist progresses, develops with insistence on Mareuil or Montaigu, concerning initially the noble ones which involve with their continuation the rural populations. Pouzauges, Chantonnay, Mouilleron-in-Pareds, Aizenay, Poiroux become bastions of the Calvinism in the Vendée, but also Thatch, Saint-Gilles-on-Life and Beauvoir.
When the massacre of Wassy in 1562 starts the engagements between catholics and Protestants, the Vendean scrap-metal becomes the theater of multiple engagements: fights of Mouilleron, ransacks of Luçon and the surrounding villages (April 1562), head office and occupation of Fontenay. Pouzauges, Montaigu, the Chestnut grove are taken by Huguenots into 1563 which meets in synod with Puybelliard. The peace of Amboise brings back the calm one however.
Until the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre in 1572, violences ignite then die out with the liking of the truces and the resumptions of engagements. The scenes of plundering, of fire, perpetrated by one or the other party, repeat and devastate the Vendée: Bournezeau, Moutiers, Aubigny, Lucs, Trip hammer, Mothe-Achard, Maillezais and the other abbeys, Luçon and Fontenay again, Sands of Olonne, inter alia undergo the warlike outbursts, are the stakes of catches and recoveries and know the ruin.
From 1574, the conflict becomes more political, marked in Low-Poitou by the presence of Henri de Navarre, the future Henri IV. It takes part in the combat until 1580, which succeeds a relative peace during five years. Henri III, the king of France, is combined then with king de Navarre against excesses of the Catholic League of the Own way. The Parisian ones revolt against their king and Henri de Navarre joint with the troops of his/her cousin. But Henri III, assassinated, leaves his throne to Henri de Navarre who must reconquer it! After the victories of Arch and of Ivry (1589-1590), it must still abjure Protestantism and proclaim the Edict of Nantes (1598) to bring back peace. The territories bas-poitevins, mined by political complications with inextricable wire, however refuse to disarm. Henri IV must return to Low-Poitou to reduce the last members of a league. He then names Sully governor of Poitou and implements all to repair the war damagees: he develops the communications, takes again the draining of the abandoned marsh and encourages agriculture. The work of rebuilding is in right track when Henri IV is assassinated in 1610.
The Old Mode
Although province with whole share, Poitou is forgotten a little by the centralizing monarchy of XVIIe and 18th centuries. Only the consequences of the Wars of religion still mark the region. In 1622 initially, when the Protestants, who took again the weapons under the direction of Rohan Soubise, devastate Sands of Olonne and Talmont, and again threaten to ignite the country. It is Louis XIII itself which comes to fight then to overcome in the marshes of Laugh and remains then in Apremont. The seat of the La Rochelle, a few kilometres from our department, will complete to reduce the forces of reformed. This new insurrection of noble the bas-poitevins will be worth the destruction of many the fortresses of the Middle Ages - and even sometimes of more recent castles - decided by the Richelieu minister who knows well his old évêché of Luçon. Talmont, Tiffauges, Commequiers, for example, are thus dismantled.
The Protestants, whose political and military importance had just been destroyed, however kept during a few decades freedom to practice their worship. But with the advent of Louis XIV, who conceives of another religion only his, they are again persecuted by Dragonnades. Huguenots are withdrawn in places isolated to celebrate their offices: they are the assemblies of the Desert (certain localities still preserve the memory of it). In 1685, Louis XIV revokes the Edict of Nantes, removing the Protestant religion officially: much takes refuge in clandestinity, but many are those which prefer to exile and make stock in the Netherlands or in Germany.
The two centuries of the Old Mode however marked the Vendée of two prestigious characters. One with the national destiny, the cardinal of Richelieu, the other, true missionary of the after-Calvinism, the father Grignion de Montfort. Armand Duplessis de Richelieu, originating in the Haut-Poitou, has twenty-three years when it is named bishop of Luçon and arrives in what it claims to be “évêché more droppings of France”.
It is true that villages and consciences were devastated by the wars. He harnesses himself with the task with zeal and, promoter of the Counter-Reformation, applies the principles decided by the Council of Thirty. He makes restore the cathedral and the episcopal palate, founds one of the first seminars of France, restores the order and morality in the clergy and develops the religious orders to fight against the Calvinism. He resigns of his station in 1623, destined for responsibilities for the more high importance. Named cardinal in 1622, it becomes in 1624 the principal minister of Louis XIII, until his death in 1642, which precedes one year only the death of king de France to which its work of remarkable statesman remains attached.
Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort is Breton of origin, born in 1673 and which followed a rather hard ecclesiastical career by resting all its life lasting on two essential poles: assistance with the poor and the apostolate missionary. It is the Pope himself which, refusing the departure of Montfort for Canada, encourages it to organize missions in France to restore the faith in the campaigns. He devotes himself to this work in the west, in Brittany, in Normandy, in Nantes, organizing “missions”, long periods of offices, prayers and récollections, often punctuated of material acts as the erection of martyrdoms (the respected tradition of the Father of Montfort has strewn the Vendean landscapes with hundreds of cross for one century), in which all the inhabitants of parish take part that he galvanizes by canticles of which he writes the words on known airs, even of the songs grivoises. Jalousé generally by the prelates of the cities where he officiates, it in the diocese of the La Rochelle that he will receive the best reception and, by, on the territory of the Vendée, of which he will bring back the inhabitants, is marked there by more than one century of Calvinism, with the Catholic religion, organizing there most important of its missions. Wearing with work, he will die in 1716 during one of them, with Saint-Laurent-on-Separates, city where he is buried.
For the remainder, XVilème and XVlllème are centuries of prosperity for the Vendée. The draining of the marshes which began again, the rise of the port of Sands and the new dash of town planning of Fontenay, an expansion of demography, the development of some textile manufactures and the improvement of royal main road, do not completely erase the opposition to progress of the rural company of Old Mode managed by the parish and the seigniory.
Revolutionary disorders
When the Révolution bursts, as show it the Registers of grievances written in spring 1789, the rural world of whole France awaits transformations, particularly a reduction in the seigneuriaux rights and taxation. It is in the Vendée like elsewhere. If the Déclaration of the Human rights passes a little above the concerns and the country intelligences, the news of the abolition of the feudal rights and the preferences is accommodated with satisfaction.
However the new administration, which sets up starting from 1791, is not always quite allowed, especially when it is put in having to apply the religious policy desired by the Constituante. The Vendean peasants often do not see an good eye the confiscation of the goods of the clergy, lose confidence when one obliges their priests to lend oath of fidelity to the nation and refuse soon to guarantee a capacity which attacks the religion. When the Republic makes assemble Louis XVI on the scaffold in January 1793, resignation is not already any more what it was and, when the Convention issues the Levy in masse , insurrection bursts.
Here and there, in a movement which makes snowball starting from the sector of the Mauges (surroundings of Cholet), the peasants put the services of drawing lot in escape, seek chiefs and arm themselves to make hear with the authorities their dissatisfaction and show their determination. Very quickly, the enthusiastic ones of the new mode, because they existed indeed, especially in the cities, are shown finger, are despoiled their goods, decrees or are enlisted of force. The movement gains a whole area, which one will baptize later the Vendée Militaire and which includes/understands the territory of the the current Vendée minus the Plain and the Marais poitevin, south of the Loire-Atlantique, west of the Maine-et-Loire and the north of the Two-Sevres.
It is in this area that the principal army is organized, the catholic and royal Armée which will count many chiefs: Cathelineau, of Elbée, Rochejaquelein, whereas other famous heroes contribute their share to the events (Lescure, Bonchamps, Stofflet, Sapinaud). More at the center of the Vendée, the army ordered by Royrand is set up, while in the west Cart, that its maraîchins went to seek at his place, and Jean-Baptiste Jolly, the old surgeon of the Vault-Hermier, will multiply the blows of glare. The war, insurrection with religious reason, will become political and post royalist aimings very clearly.
In March, April, May, the Vendean victories follow one another and Beaupréau, Machecoul, Chemillé, Cholet then Thouars and Saumur one after the other is removed with the republicans. Only Fontenay-the-Count mid-May and Nantes especially at the end of June, has escaped with their courage, the latter particularly because of the disagreements between the chiefs. However, the second republican offensive is broken with Vihiers and Châtillon, but the Vendean ones again fail on August 14th in front of Luçon, while the Convention, to come to end from these irreducible “brigands”, sends the “Mayençais”, who have just given up the head office of Mainz without to be overcome. Kléber at their head is subjugated by the military qualities deployed at the time of the defeat which is inflicted to him with Torfou on September 19th.
But the troops of the republic gather their forces and at Cholet on October 17th put in rout the catholic and royal Armée, with the women, the old men and the children. What remains after the combat flees beyond the the Loire and the chiefs agree to go up towards north, fixing itself like objective Granville, where the English could unload, once the city taken, to bring weapons and reinforcements. The Vendean troops are trailed, fight victoriously with Laval and Entrammes, but are defeats in front of Granville on November 14th. The “Virée of Galerne”, as this episode was called, turned short. The return of these hordes of soldiers, women and children who follow them, has something of epic and ridiculous: defeat in front of Angers and with the Mans (December 11th). The Loire, this time, is insuperable and the republican troops track the Vendean ones in the marshes close to Savenay on December 23rd. Nearly fifty thousand Vendean die thus in this “Transfered of Galerne”.
However the engagements do not stop therefore; those of the chiefs who succeeded in crossing the Loire before Savenay (Rochejaquelein and Stofflet), those which did not take part in “Not transfered of Galerne” (Jolly, Cart and some others), badger the Republicans without slackening, while with Angers and to Nantes the representatives of the Convention, Francastel and Carrier, apply to their manner the policy of Terror. Prisoners are shot or drowned in Nantes and Angers, while, in the scrap-metal, ambushes and takeovers by forces continue. To put a term at these activities, the general Turreau organizes the infernal Colonnes, twelve columns charged to destroy the rebellion. Several are characterized by their violences, violating, killing, destroying all on their passage. But the Vendean ones do not disarm, quite to the contrary: the war having rather become the application of the principle “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth”. These practices start to obstruct among the Republicans: Turreau is suspended on May 17th by the Comité of public hello and the columns are returned in their barracks.
After the Thermidor 9 are started negotiations which are a prelude to with peace, signed on February 17th, 1795 with Jaunaye, close to Nantes, by Cart and Sapinaud, then by Stofflet two months later. But often the engagements are re-ignited and consumed a peace badly assured by a bad respect the clauses accepted with Jaunaye, and especially by the interest which carries the count d' Artois, younger brother of Louis XVI, with the war. This one however, whereas it unloaded with the island of Yeu with many English and French soldiers and that it is awaited by Cart, refuses to take the step moreover. This decision will ruin the Vendean cause. The war in a ransacked country became without hope and the two chiefs, Stofflet initially in February 1796, then Cart one month later is stopped and shot in Angers then in Nantes. The Vendean counter-revolution is finished.
Napoleon and the Vendée
In the years of disorders which mark the Directoire, the left oppositions (Jacobin S) and of right-hand side (Royalistes) put in danger the government in place. Nothing of thus surprising that in April 1799 the Vendean ones called by the royalist chiefs take again the weapons. The general Travot opposes it until December 28th, date on which the amnesty is issued by the general Bonaparte, new French Consul since the Coup d'etat of the 18 brumaire, with all those which will want to deposit the weapons well.
Start then for the Vendée the time of the pacification, whose principal stone will be the legal settlement of 1801 signed by the abbot Bernier and who ensures the religious liberty. Only a few thousands of baited, especially located in the east of the department and Two-Sevres, which refuse this helping hand, form the schism of the Small Church and reproach the Pape the signature of this Concordat.
Bonaparte seeks to restore the order and confidence. Although admiring for these peasants who made according to his words a “war of giants”, it exempts them military service and, at the same time, for better controlling a department than it fears, it transfers the chief town from them to the Roche-sur-Yon, small more central borough. It made there build a true new city with military vocation and defensive where it will multiply the barracks (the Great War it could not burst because there was no armed force in the Vendée?). In parallel, it reorganizes the economy by pouring subsidies, creates a road of Rock-Napoleon with Beauvoir and develops secondary education while starting of the establishments with Chavagnes, Fontenay-the-Count, Sand-with Olonne, Luçon and Montaigu.
However Napoleon, breaking with his promises relating to the conscription, revives embers of the revolt: the insurrectionists multiply on the cantons of Aizenay, Palluau, Mothe-Achard and the movement, that does not calm the restoration of monarchy, develops on the contrary with the return of Napoleon at the time of the Hundred Days, concerning Pouzauges, Epesses, Chantonnay. Only the victory of the general Travot with Rocheservière on June 21st 1815 and the Abdication of Napoleon after Waterloo are right of the disorders.
The 19th century
The Vendée returns then in quietude and historical anonymity, however defending during all the century the tradition legitimist, as in 1832 where some disorders take place, following the action taken by the duchess of Berry which wants to raise the Vendée against the Monarchie of July. In fact, it is from now on by the legal channel of the vote that this department will affirm its attachment with legitimacy.
When arrives the Second Empire, the Vendean south, republican in 1793, supports Napoleon III, while the remainder takes refuge in the opposition or the abstention. From 1880, the political situation becomes more complex. Vis-a-vis the partisans of monarchy develops in the Vendée a moderated republican current, especially anchored in the south. Even Georges Clémenceau seems a dangerous radical and this situation of department cut into two continues until in 1914.
The nineteenth which especially affirmed a certain permanence of the rural life (which evolved/moved little since the years 1780) however started to establish some industries: in edge of the main forest of Vouvant, tannery coal mines and spinning mill of the valley of Sèvre, which allowed the birth, like everywhere else, of a socialist movement and trade unionist.
The 20th century
The whole of the the Vendée NS appears to more return in the row of the Republic with the First World War. Even if the political competitions continue to be, all contribute to the defense of the fatherland with devotion and effectiveness. Since Georges Clémenceau, the Father the Victoire, become president of the council in 1917, until the hairy Vendean ones who is distinguished in the trenches. These even pay perhaps more than others, when the 137 {{E}} regiment of infantry of Fontenay is buried in the Trench of the Bayonets, close to Verdun. The period of the Entre-deux-guerres sees re-appearing between left and right-hand side, between republicans and traditionalists, between blue and white, the same dissensions, and that although the Radical party is better allowed in the Vendée, although Clemenceau from now on is recognized by his. At times of the Trust of the lefts (1924 - 1926) and Popular front (1936), the electoral fights remain still rough and often intransigents.
For the Vendée, the Second world war, it is the occupation, the refugees of the Ardennes, but especially, as from 1941, large work to build the Atlantic Wall, for which the Germans requisition to the maximum labor. Of course resistance exists, even if the maquis (that of the Forêt of Mervent for example) are not really of great scale, however that a large soldier, the general Jean de Lattre de Tassigny, contributes his essential share to the invasion of Reich by the allied armies.
Under the fourth and the Fifth Republic, the Vendée remains with preserving majority, voter as a whole for the line in place. But the recent evolution which involved industrialization and development of coastal tourism, modernization thus rupture of the inertia of rural environment and opening to other men and new sights, all has contributed for twenty five years to renew Vendean mentalities and to call into question the rejection of the Republic and the glorification partisane of the Vendean legend. Current, many movements among intellectuals, the writers, among political officials, who, generally, exceeded narrow cleavages, develop to look at opposite, and with more serenity, a " The Vendée in white and bleu" whose two shares coexist, enriching this department by their complementarity and their diversity.
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