Montaigu (the Vendée)

Geography

Located at the borders of the old steps of the Poitou at the north-eastern end of the the Vendée (at equal distance from the towns of Nantes, Cholet and the Rock on Yon), Montaigu was from time immemorial a crossroads between the Brittany and the Poitou. Since the French revolution of 1789 until the middle of the 19th century, Montaigu was sub-prefecture of the the Vendée.

Today, Montaigu occupies a privileged geographical position: Montaigu is at 5 minutes of the Autoroute A83 connecting Niort (thus joining the A10 between Paris and Bordeaux) to Nantes, regional capital, so that the international airport of the Nantes-Atlantic is only at half an hour. Moreover, the 2x2 ways Montaigu- the Rock on Yon makes it possible to also join the Vendean prefecture in 30 minutes. In addition, the Gare of Montaigu (called “the Montaigu-Vendée”) is also well served, because it is on the lines Nantes - the Rock on Yon - Sands of Olonne and Nantes - Bordeaux, thus putting Montaigu at 2:30 of Paris thanks to TGV. Lastly, Montaigu is at less than one hour of most beautiful the Plage S of the Atlantique.

Montaigu is crossed by the Maine.

Environment

Montaigu has 2 flowers () with the Concours of the cities and flowered villages (2nd flower obtained with the prize list 2007).

History

Founded at the end of IXe century, the city of Montaigu is surrounded of XIIe in XVe century of an imposing fortress. Louis XI makes of it a strategic place in fear of an attack of the duke of Brittany. It will be besieged and taken on several occasions during the wars of religion, then during rising counter-revolutionary of the the Vendée

Blasonnement

: Of azure, with two gold lions, armed with money, posed upright one behind the other.
(Malta-Brown, illustrated France , volume V, 1884)

A new blazon was adopted by the commune, which took again the weapons of the family of Belleville: squirrel fur to the griffon of mouths .

Administration

Montaigu belongs to the Communauté of common Grounds of Montaigu gathering, in addition to Montaigu, the communes of Bernardière, Boissière-with-Montaigu, Boufféré, Guyonnière, Saint-Georges-with-Montaigu and Saint-Hilaire-with-Loulay. Montaigu belongs to the mixed trade-union Montaigu- Rocheservière.

Demography

Places and monuments

the fortifications flush in 1586 on the order of Henri III.
Gate Saint-Léonard vestige of a vault of 1215.
the church Saint-Jean-Baptist and waste-gas mains of its bell-tower.

Personalities related to the commune

the admiral Louis Charles Duchaffault (1708-1794), lieutenant-general of the naval armies, lived there.
Louis Marie Réveillère-Lépaux (1753-1824) revolutionary deputy with the Constituante was born to with it.
the Father Louis Marie Baudouin (1765-1835) founder of the Company of Marie, then from the Congregation of the Ursulines of Jesus, was born to with it.
Dugast-Matifeux (1812-1894) historian, was born to with it.
Georges Clémenceau, Minister of Interior Department inaugurates in 1906 the hospital of this city whose his/her cousin, Joseph Gaillard, was the mayor.

Events

World Tiny of Football:

Since 1972, each weekend of Easter, Montaigu receives the young footballers coming from various areas of the sphere to represent their nation with the competition. An event which prepares in bond with Football Montacutain Club. Many professional footballers such as Didier Deschamps, Marcel Desailly, and well of others took part in it.

the Spring of the Book:

Each year, the Community of Communes of Montaigu lets bud the literary talents which will put in craving in love ones with Littérature for the summer season. He announces new colors. Books and those which are devoted to it (authors, editors, but also photographers, scenario writers,…) meet during three days and invite the readers to find their happiness. This living room constitutes from now on one of the principal literary events of the Great West.

Arts on Maine:

A Festival artists born in 1997 and organized by Commuauté de Communes of Montaigu. During the 10 days, the least recognized and most promising can prove reliable. The demonstration opens with all the forms creation and the price of Arts on Maines is given to the artists out of grass for the various categories of Art.

Twinning

Montaigu is twinned since September 6th 1991 with the German city of in Hesse, close to Kassel

Others

Quoted in the bawdy song the dam of the bottom (Of Nantes with Montaigu, the dam the dam…).

See too

the Dam of the bottom
Common of the Vendée

External bonds

Official site of the commune of Montaigu
Site of the community of Common Grounds of Montaigu
Tourist office Country of Montaigu
Montaigu Mixed trade-union - Rocherservière
Site of World Tiny of Football
Montaigu on the site of the national geographical Institute
Montaigu on the site of INSEE
Montaigu on the site of Quid
Localization of Montaigu on a chart of France and communes bordering
Plane on Montaigu on Mapquest

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