Pézenas

Pézenas (Occitan: Pesenaç , Pesenàs ) is a common French, located in the department of the Herault and the area Languedoc-Roussillon. Its inhabitants is called Piscénois.

Geography

Common crossing by the Peyne (river), Pézenas is located at the crossroads beaches of Low-Languedoc and back-country héraultais.

It is served by the A75.

History

Pézenas was the seat of important fairs: the Foires of Languedoc , which attracted merchants of all the Mediterranean basin. Until the medium of XVII^e century, Pézenas saw on several occasions meeting the meetings of the States of Languedoc.

Administration

|- | align=right|1995-…. || Alain Vogel-Singer || DVD || |- | align=right|1983-1995 || Pierre Guiraud || DVG || General adviser since 1979 |- | align=right|1977-1983 || Louis Audibert || Union of the left || |- | align=right|1953-1977 || Jean Bucket || || General adviser (1945-1979), Senator (1946-1971, Regional adviser (1971-1979) |- | align=right|1947-1953 || Joseph Garbal || || |- | align=right|1944-1947 || Jean Bucket || ||

Demography

Economy

The commune has an antenna of the Chamber of commerce and industry of Béziers Saint-Pons.

Monuments and tourist sites

the old city, safeguarded sector, and its residences and private mansions of XVI^e, XVII^e and XVIII^e centuries, of which the Consular House, old seat of the municipal capacity where the meetings were held of the States of Languedoc.

Collegial Midsummer's Day , (XVIII^e century), work of Jean-Baptiste Franque.

It contains organ of Lépine, transformed into 1852 by Aristide Cavaillé-coll, restored by Daniel Birouste. It also has a Trésor, composed of objects coming from the churches from the city.

Church of Saint-Jean-of-Bébian , Romance church, classified Historic building.

Holy-Ursule Church , built in 1686 by the Master-mason Antoine Carrier and become parochial after the legal settlement.

Monument of Molière (1897), by Jean-Antoine Injalbert. The bust of Molière is surrounded by a maidservant, illustrated by Lucette of Mister de Pourceaugnac, representing the comedy, and a satyr representing the satyr; on the back face, masks of the actors Coquelin junior (1848-1909) and Jeanne Ludwig (1867-1898) by the Comédie-Française.

illustrates It Théâtre, theater open to the year (great festival of summer).

the Museum of Vulliod Saint-Germain which gathers collections around the history of the city of which a room devoted to Molière.
Its hamlet Conas.

Personalities related to the commune

Pézenas was a place of stay of predilection for Molière and its Famous Theater at the time of its difficult beginnings in province between 1646 and 1657, after its first failure in Paris.
Armand of Bourbon, prince de Conti is deceased in its castle of the Barn of the Meadows in 1666. He was the guard of the troop of Molière.
Bringuier of the Palm, noble, returns to the consulate on April 15th, 1529 and is named 1^er consul for the quarton of the city.
Gabriel François Venel (1723-1775), chemist who invented the water of Soda.
Robert Cleaves (1725-1774), British major-general, who would have introduced the receipt of small pies.
Paul Vidal of Blache, Geographer, father of the Geography French modern, born in 1845 in Pézenas.
Louis Paulhan (1883-1963), pioneer of aviation, pilot's license n° 10, manufacturer of seaplanes, holder of several records
Jean Bucket (1901-1992), politician, senator, president of the general advice of Herault.
Edmond Charlot (1915-2004), discoverer of Albert Camus and " editor of France libre" with Algiers during the Years 1940, settled there of 1980 with its death.
Boby Lapointe (Robert Lapointe), (1922, 1972), singer.
Marie Joseph Emile Gaston Mazuc, lawyer, author of Languedocien Grammar, born in Pézenas on July 24th, 1832. In Pézenas, it resided, amongst other things, with the Castle of Roquelune. He dies on March 27th, 1905.

Culture

Local gastronomical specialities

the small pie of Pézenas (sweetened/salted pastry making), in the shape of reel, being able to taste itself at the beginning and the end of the meal. A brotherhood, noble and greedy, bearing the same name that this speciality was created to promote it.

The tradition teaches that Lord Clive, Gouverneur of the Indies, brought the receipt at the time of its stay in 1768. The principal ingédients are flour, lard, meat of leg, grease of kidney, lemons untreated, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon and egg yolk.

the carton of Pézenas (sugar refinery). One is unaware of the origin of it. Sugar is drawn up in stick and is scented with various gasolines (anise, mint, coffee, lemon…).

Carnival

The festival of the town of Pézenas is organized, each year, around the fatty Tuesday.

In particular, at the time of this particular day, the animal totemic of the city, the Foal of Pézenas, leave in the streets the city.

To see it, go this day to 15:00 and 21:00 in the Main courtyard of the Town hall.

The fatty Tuesday day before, Monday evening is organized a hullabaloo in the heart of the " old woman ville". The Piscénois, machous and other in love with the festival saunter in the streets and the bars at the rates/rhythms of traditional musics. They stop to carry out dances quite as traditional (fire with the buttocks, dances of the bellows…)

Let us note, that saturdays and previous Sunday is organized, since 1979, a spectacle known as Spectacle of Machous . Certain inhabitants of Pézenas, brought together in association, go up on the " planches" house of the People for " pasticher" local life and to have fun the festival.

Animal totemic

The Poulain of Pézenas is the symbol of the city: it leaves in particular for the day the fatty Tuesday, at the time of the festival of the city.

The legend wants that Louis VIII, leaving in crusade, had to leave its sick mare to Pézenas. With its return, which was not its surprise to find its alive mare and to see at its sides a small foal. It made immortaliser the event while making build a foal out of wooden.

It is vêtu of blue a “dress”, trimmed with stars, on which the blazon of the city is drawn. Two characters assemble this wooden horse (today out of aluminum) : Estiennette and Estienou. A leader the guide in the streets of the city. A music, made up of drums, fifres and Oboe, the fact farandoler and to dance the rigodon.

2005 is one year of recognition for this foal. Indeed, UNESCO recognized it under immaterial patrimony of humanity. The same year, other popular traditions were honoured by such a classification (the Géants of North inter alia).

Pézenas has also a rest.

Photograph of the Foal: HTTP: /fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Poulain_de_Pezenas.JPG

Twinnings

Pézenas is twinned with

, the town of Lord Clive.

Random links: