Pont-Audemer

Pont-Audemer is a common French, located in the department of the the Eure and the area High-Normandy. Its inhabitants is the Bridge-Audemériens.

Geography

Pont-Audemer , located on the Risle, between Roumois and Lieuvin, is the principal commune of the North-West of the department.

Description

Relatively saved at the time of the combat of the Second world war, it preserved a beautiful whole of houses at wood sides. The arms of the Risle and the channels connecting them give him a tourist attraction some. It is of its channels that comes to him the tourist qualifier from “Venice Normande”.

Its position on the Risle formerly allowed to the important rise of industries, of leather, paper, large water consumers.

The commune is classified “four flowers” with the Concours of the cities and flowered villages.

History

Origins

Archaeological excavations attest of an occupation of the site since the Préhistoire. The Risle (which crosses the city) is a river with waters running in Normandy, natural border, its crossing is important for the populations. Thus, Pont-Audemer was founded on one of the narrowest points of the river, where its crossed was easiest, in a place which was of more favourable with the development of human activities (wood, water abundant, rich meadows…). The city appears officially for the first time in documents of the Gallo-Roman period: it is a Roman military station established to protect two bridges built to allow a Roman Voie, connecting the Roman cities of Juliobona (Lillebonne) and Noviomagus (Lisieux), to pass Risle. Quite naturally, the borough then takes the name of “ Duos Big shots ” (Two Bridges) and develops.

The Middle Ages

Its growth is disturbed by the cruel Invasions which began at the end of the 3rd century. Arrived at the capacity of the Francs involves probably only few changes: the population remains the same one (there is almost no franque presence), excluded, perhaps, that of some members of its nobility who will take, in certain places, the place of the Gallo-Roman aristocracy, at the headquarters.

Then, the Scandinavian raids come which go up Risle and plunder the area as from the 8th century. One does not know precisely when (cruel invasions, Scandinavian raids), but it seems that they is at that time that the Roman bridges were destroyed or fell in ruin, the crossing of Risle having to be done consequently by vat. Later, certain Aldemarus, a Carolingian count (of Germanic origin) which would have protected the city from the Scandinavians at the 9th century, rebuilt a bridge. This bridge called gradually “ Pons Aldemari ” gave in its turn its name with the borough.

At the time of the Treated Saint-Clearly-on-Epte, the king Charles III, said Simple the, yielded the county of Rouen to the Norwegian chief Rollon. Pont-Audemer, established then on Right Bank of Risle, fact part of the donation. This river marks the limit of the county of Rouen and Pont-Audemer initially becomes frontier town. This time, the settlement is more important: those are especially of Danish who settles in the valley of Risle. Thus, a faithful companion of Rollon, Bernard the Dane, receives the borough of Pont-Audemer in reward, then the village of Harcourt. Is born thus an important chalk-lining which will generate two big families: the Beaumont and the Harcourt.

The son of Bernard, Torf the Rich person, succeeds to him the head of the seigniory of Pont-Audemer. At the 11th century, the lords of Pont-Audemer made build a castle, on Right Bank of Risle, with the Carmel Mount. The city took importance and developed on left bank of the river. Strategically important, thanks to its port, the city gets 60 ships with William the Conqueror, in his conquest of England. At the same time, fortifications are built and the first stones of the Romance church Saint-Ouen are posed.

The place being particularly favourable because of the abundance of water, wood and the cattle, many craftsmen settle, creating workshops of tannery in particular. In 1200, to seal the reconciliation of France and England (Treated Narrow part), the Louis dolphin, (future Louis VIII the Lion), came to marry with Blanche of Castille, niece of the king d' Angleterre Jean Without Ground, in the Saint-Ouen church. It is a failure.

The city is taken by Philippe Auguste in June 1204 and is seen granting a communal charter. The king installs there the seat of a Bailliage in particular for one of his henchmen, Lambert Cadoc, chief of a band of truck drivers, not very frequentable, which had been put at the service of king de France at the time of the annexation of the duchy of Normandy. He pressed the city and his inhabitants, multiplying taxes and diversions. The bridge-audemériens went to complain with the king who raised Cadoc as of his functions and removed, towards 1219/1220, the bailliage which was attached thereafter to that of Rouen.

The Guerre One hundred Year old caused great devastations at the city. The castle and the ramparts are destroyed after the king of France took again the city which had been apparently too easily given to the English.

Modern time

After the end of the war, one rebuilt the city. Thus one decides to rebuild the church Romance Saint-Ouen, damaged, become too small and exceeded during this time when the Gothic resplendit. A new vaster building is built under the direction of Michel Gohier. At the 16th century, continuation of the rise in the Nave with the Triforium, the starter of the high windows and voûtement of the first five spans of the sides, by Guillaume Morin and Thomas Théroulde. But the wars of religion unfortunately stop the building site of this splendid building: one with need for money to protect from the Protestant who threaten: armament, rebuilding of the ramparts… In vain! The city falls to the hands from the Huguenots. The building site will never begin again, leaving the church current, single, with its chorus, its transept Romance and its nave, its sides and its Gothic bell-tower .

The finished wars of religion, the city is raised and the economy becomes very flourishing there. Its heart does not settle definitively on left bank of Risle, on the parish Saint-Ouen, the district Saint-Aignan, Right Bank, is not any more but one residential parish of less importance.

Risle which marks the limit between the archdiocese of Rouen and the diocese of Lisieux, puts the city at horse on two dioceses: the Saint-Aignan parish depend on the Archbishop's palace of Rouen, dedicated to the Virgin, Ours-Lady-of-Prey, Saint-Germain depend on the évêché of Lisieux, dedicated to Saint Pierre. A certain competition existed between parishes, in particular between Saint-Aignan, who had the privilege to make fatty, and that of Saint-Ouen which did not enjoy faculty to eat meat, the days of Saturday ranging between Christmas and the Purification.

" the left bank of Risle felt highly tried to fall in mortal sin, when the wind of the North-East brought the smoke of orthodoxe rôt to him, glossy for Right Bank. However, heroically subjected to the regulations of the church, it held firm against the suggestions of the palate and the stomach. But its perspicacity managed to put agreement its desires and its conscience: peas, this modest, but invaluable resource thin days . By provocation, the parishioners of Saint-Aignan had a pleasure of making roast andouilles which embaumaient all the city, for narguer the parishioners of left bank who did not eat, them, which these peas.

Moreover, one year, at the time of the procession of the Holy Sebastien (which had protected the city from the Peste), it happened that the priests of the three secondary parishes are reflected in tète to dispute with the priest of Saint-Ouen, principal parish, the privilege to relate, to their respective field, the protective statue. Therefore, at the time when the procession crossed the bridge of Rouen and arrived at Saint-Aignan, it found the clergy of Saint-Aignan in battle order on his border: the possession of Sebastien Saint is highly disputed; after the words one comes to the hands, and, in the tumult, the statue is precipitated in Risle. Great scandal, and which was of long life! Because there was lawsuit whose result was the maintenance of the priest of Saint-Ouen in his prerogative, and, moreover, one song was made up to perpetuate the memory of the event.

Here the verse which brings back the beginning of the dispute between the vicar of Saint-Ouen and the priest of Saint-Aignan: " Large Vitrel known Mangeux of pea, He says you will not have it I would rather put it in my pouquette. Turlurette… etc."

Still today, this anecdote remains known like the provocations of maqueux of andouilles towards the maqueux eud' pois".

In spite of this antagonism, flourishing economy allowed the construction of beautiful dwellings sides of wood around small course interior. To this type of architecture, is added, at the 17th century, of brick constructions with white stone equipment or ground floor out of stone and stages in half-timbering.

At the 18th century, industrialization begins from the city. An important English community settles and pleasing novel methods in various fields (tanneries, paper mill).

Contemporary time

In 1789, the city does not form part of most revolutionary, the inhabitants going even until protecting from the aristocrats, like the marchioness of Saint-Pierre in his private mansion street with the Jews, or the clerks and monks of the city. The city becomes sub-prefecture of the new department of the Eure, it to what corresponds the diocese of Évreux to which all the parishes of the city are attached.

At the 19th century, industrialization continues. Three principal activities are then present: the tannery, the paper mill and the foundry.

During the First World War, in addition to sending his/her children on the face, the city provides in mass leather for the armies. A historical witness of the Great War being with the museum of the Invalids proves it: he has a leather bridge-audemérien hood, it is the last existing taxi of the Marne!

Following the Poincaré decree of September 10th 1926, the Arrondissement of Pont-Audemer is removed and attached to that of Bernay. The Sub-prefecture, street Sadi Carnot, firm.

After the rout of 1940 and the German invasion, the city becomes an administrative center for the occupants: an aerodrome is established on the plate of Triqueville and the Kommandantur settles with the castle of Tourville. The city undergoes several bombardments, of which most important failed to shave the majority of the city. The drama was avoided thanks to the bad weather: the fog preventing the aviators from bombarding in formations, those bombarded then with the aveuglette and the bombs fell on the western district from the city (port, street Ours-Lady-of-Meadows, place Louis Gillain), preserving the historical center of the city. Pont-Audemer was released on August 26th 1944 (day of the Saint Ouen, employers' festival of the city) by Dutch soldiers.

During the Glorious Thirty, the city benefits from the economic advancement. The crisis which followed slightly did not touch the city which knew to call investors and foreign groups of advanced technology industry to come to settle (Schlumberger). In 1962, the commune of Saint-Paul-on-Risle is attached to Pont-Audemer.

Today, Pont-Audemer east during one rather difficult time. After the foundries, the paper mills, the large last machines city (Costil Tanneries) has just closed, leaving many people without work. The city changes, developing tourism, restoring its habitat and its infrastructures. Demolished principal for Venice Normande is to convert his economy in order to keep its dynamism and its vitality, to thus avoid becoming an only residential city.

Celebrities

  • Guillaume Costeley, musician of the Rebirth;

  • Maurice Bertrand, known as the Mister from Maxim' S or Champagnographe, repésentant out of champagne;
  • Taillevent, cook at the Court of France at the 14th century and author of Viandier, first book of kitchen in French language;
  • Gaston Lenôtre, celebrates pastrycook;
  • Bruno Putzulu, Actor, former boarder of the French Comedy;
  • Jean-Louis Destans, current President of the General advice of the Eure;
  • Herve Morin, Appointed of the Eure, current Minister for Defense;
  • Lætitia Casta : mannequin and actress, born in Pont-Audemer in 1978;
  • Alfred Canel, (1803-1879), republican, humanistic and historian, Deputy of the Eure from April 23rd, 1848 to May 26th, 1849;
  • Amand Montier, former mayor who modernized the city at the time haussmannienne;
  • Louis Gillain.

Heraldic

Blasonnement of the traditional weapons of the town of Pont-Audemer:

“Of Mouths, with the bridge of four money arches, with the chief charged with three flowers of gold lily. ”
as brought back by Malta-Brown, in illustrated France (1882).

Blasonnement close (and more precis) is known (source remaining to specify):

“Of mouths to a bridge of four money arches on a river of the même  ; with the bent chief of azure charged with three flowers of gold lily. ”

Administration

Demography

Until 1831, the population of the part of Saint-Agnan attached to Pont-Audemer is not included in the tableau.
Graphique evolution of the population of Saint-Paul-on-Risle 1794-1962

In addition, at the time of the Census of 1999, the Total population, including the double accounts, was of 9.360 inhabitants.

Economy

The city has an antenna of the Chamber of commerce and industry of the Eure.

Inheritance

The church Saint-Ouen is a remarkable building although unfinished, imposing and equipped with superb stained glasses of the Renaissance and modern (by max Ingrand).

Pont-Audemer east one of the very rare towns of France where remained until now the ringing of the Couvre-feu, each day at 10 p.m. It is about a rather long flight of the bells of the Saint-Ouen church which, traditionally, announced the end of the day and the closing of the trade, the cabarets and the doors of the city.

, diffused in the city and the neighbouring communes. In 2005, the total diffusion of the newspaper was of 10.130 specimens per week, according to OJD.

See too

External bond

  • Official site

  • Pont-Audemer on the site of the community of communes of Pont-Audemer
  • Pont-Audemer on the site of the national geographical Institute
  • Pont-Audemer on the site of INSEE
  • Pont-Audemer on the site of Quid
  • the communes closest to Pont-Audemer
  • Pont-Audemer on Viamichelin

References

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