Mauriac, Cantal
Encyclopedia
Mauriac is a commune
in the Cantal
department in the Auvergne
region
in south-central France
.
It lies 39 miles (63 km) north-northwest of Aurillac
by rail.
Mauriac, built on the slope of a volcanic hill, has a medieval church, and the buildings of an old abbey now used as public offices and dwellings; the town owes its origin to the abbey, which originated from a 6th century foundation.
departments.
The greater part of the Mauriac arrondissement is watered by the Saint-Jean, a brook which flows past the southwestern edge of the town and fills the lac du Val Saint-Jean, a small reservoir, before flowing into Auze, an important tributary of the Dordogne River
.
Mauriac is in hilly terrain, with the main populated area falling into a zone at an altitude of about 350–450 metres, while the surrounding areas rise to about 760 metres in the volcanic foothills.
, reported that she had had a vision of the Virgin Mary, carrying the infant Christ, and accompanied by Saint Peter
. This led her to found a chapel at the side of the Rieu Mauri, the small stream now known as the ruisseau Saint-Jean. This was later grew into the Benedictine
abbey of Saint Peter, the centre of a considerable pilgrimage
.
Increasing wealth allowed the abbey to begin construction of a considerable Romanesque
church in the 11th century, commencing with the choir. The nave
and belfry
followed in the 12th century, and the process culminated in the building of a great west portal
, surmounted by an Ascension of Christ, in the 13th. The belfry fell into disrepair during the French Wars of Religion
and during the French Revolution
, requiring reconstruction in 1625 and in 1845. The two towers were 17th century additions.
The abbey itself was dissolved during the Revolution and the land sold off in lots. The remains of the abbey buildings were incorporated into houses and municipal buildings. A large part of these remains, including the chapter house
, were purchased by the town in 1984 and restored with the help of the Ministry of Culture
.
The town became notable during the Revolutionary period for the work of Catherine Jarrige
(1754–1836), a tertiary
of the Dominican Order
, famous both for her works of charity. She was especially noted for concealing refractory priests, who refused to compromise with state control of the Church, as embodied in Civil Constitution of the Clergy
of 1790. She remains closely associated with the church and was beatified by Pope John Paul II
in 1996.
The church, now known as Notre-Dame-des-Miracles, was promoted to the status of basilica
in 1921, under Pope Benedict XV
, and is now one of 167 churches so recognised in France. It remains a place of pilgrimage, and its fine furnishings and fittings attract considerable interest.
.
An inhabitant of the area is called a Mauriacois.
and Cantal
départements. Although all of the population also speak French, Auvergnat is still the mother tongue in many homes, and is still used in both public and private by some residents. Its lexis
, grammar
and phonology
are also likely to influence the usage of spoken French. The place-name Mauriac has precisely the same written form in both languages, but is pronounced as "Mouria" by Auvergnat-speakers.
valley and the mountains of Cantal, particularly the Puy Mary. The countryside of Mauriac and its neighbouring communes is known as the Pays de Salers, and is marketed under this name. It is famous for its dairy industry, particularly Salers and Cantal cheeses. There are marble quarries in the vicinity of Mauriac.
style. It is noted particularly for its carved western portal and its collection of 18th century Baroque
furnishings.
monastery, which had itself been built on the site of a pagan shrine dedicated to Mercury
. The most important remains, including the chapter house
, are now in municipal ownership.
, bishop of Clermont
, and rebuilt in the 18th century, the college has a magnificent portal and a Baroque chapel with a prominent retable
. Today the building serves the local lycée.
tapestries representing outdoor games. Today it is the headquarters of the sub-prefecture.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Cantal
Cantal
Cantal is a department in south-central France. It is named after the Cantal mountain range, a group of extinct, eroded volcanic peaks, which covers much of the department. Residents are known as Cantaliens or Cantalous....
department in the Auvergne
Auvergne (région)
Auvergne is one of the 27 administrative regions of France. It comprises the 4 departments of Allier, Puy de Dome, Cantal and Haute Loire.The current administrative region of Auvergne is larger than the historical province of Auvergne, and includes provinces and areas that historically were not...
region
Régions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
in south-central France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
It lies 39 miles (63 km) north-northwest of Aurillac
Aurillac
Aurillac is a commune in the Auvergne region in south-central France, capital of the Cantal department.Aurillac's inhabitants are called Aurillacois, and are also Cantaliens or Cantalous in Occitan....
by rail.
Mauriac, built on the slope of a volcanic hill, has a medieval church, and the buildings of an old abbey now used as public offices and dwellings; the town owes its origin to the abbey, which originated from a 6th century foundation.
Geography
Mauriac is situated in the northwest of Cantal, close to the border with the Corrèze and LimousinLimousin (région)
Limousin is one of the 27 regions of France. It is composed of three départements: Corrèze, Creuse and the Haute-Vienne.Situated largely in the Massif Central, as of January 1st 2008, the Limousin comprised 740,743 inhabitants on nearly 17 000 km2, making it the second least populated region of...
departments.
The greater part of the Mauriac arrondissement is watered by the Saint-Jean, a brook which flows past the southwestern edge of the town and fills the lac du Val Saint-Jean, a small reservoir, before flowing into Auze, an important tributary of the Dordogne River
Dordogne
Dordogne is a départment in south-west France. The départment is located in the region of Aquitaine, between the Loire valley and the High Pyrénées named after the great river Dordogne that runs through it...
.
Mauriac is in hilly terrain, with the main populated area falling into a zone at an altitude of about 350–450 metres, while the surrounding areas rise to about 760 metres in the volcanic foothills.
History
Childebert, daughter of Clovis IClovis I
Clovis Leuthwig was the first King of the Franks to unite all the Frankish tribes under one ruler, changing the leadership from a group of royal chieftains, to rule by kings, ensuring that the kingship was held by his heirs. He was also the first Catholic King to rule over Gaul . He was the son...
, reported that she had had a vision of the Virgin Mary, carrying the infant Christ, and accompanied by Saint Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
. This led her to found a chapel at the side of the Rieu Mauri, the small stream now known as the ruisseau Saint-Jean. This was later grew into the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
abbey of Saint Peter, the centre of a considerable pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
.
Increasing wealth allowed the abbey to begin construction of a considerable Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
church in the 11th century, commencing with the choir. The nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and belfry
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
followed in the 12th century, and the process culminated in the building of a great west portal
Portal (architecture)
Portal is a general term describing an opening in the walls of a building, gate or fortification, and especially a grand entrance to an important structure. Doors, metal gates or portcullis in the opening can be used to control entry or exit. The surface surrounding the opening may be made of...
, surmounted by an Ascension of Christ, in the 13th. The belfry fell into disrepair during the French Wars of Religion
French Wars of Religion
The French Wars of Religion is the name given to a period of civil infighting and military operations, primarily fought between French Catholics and Protestants . The conflict involved the factional disputes between the aristocratic houses of France, such as the House of Bourbon and House of Guise...
and during the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, requiring reconstruction in 1625 and in 1845. The two towers were 17th century additions.
The abbey itself was dissolved during the Revolution and the land sold off in lots. The remains of the abbey buildings were incorporated into houses and municipal buildings. A large part of these remains, including the chapter house
Chapter house
A chapter house or chapterhouse is a building or room attached to a cathedral or collegiate church in which meetings are held. They can also be found in medieval monasteries....
, were purchased by the town in 1984 and restored with the help of the Ministry of Culture
Minister of Culture (France)
The Minister of Culture is, in the Government of France, the cabinet member in charge of national museums and monuments; promoting and protecting the arts in France and abroad; and managing the national archives and regional "maisons de culture"...
.
The town became notable during the Revolutionary period for the work of Catherine Jarrige
Catherine Jarrige
Blessed Catherine Jarrige , known as Catinon Menette, a beatified third-order Dominican of the Catholic Church.- Youth :...
(1754–1836), a tertiary
Tertiaries
Tertiaries may mean either:* associations of lay Christians connected with the mendicant and other religious Orders, i.e. Third orders* a bird's hand i.e. remiges....
of the Dominican Order
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
, famous both for her works of charity. She was especially noted for concealing refractory priests, who refused to compromise with state control of the Church, as embodied in Civil Constitution of the Clergy
Civil Constitution of the Clergy
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was a law passed on 12 July 1790 during the French Revolution, that subordinated the Roman Catholic Church in France to the French government....
of 1790. She remains closely associated with the church and was beatified by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
in 1996.
The church, now known as Notre-Dame-des-Miracles, was promoted to the status of basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
in 1921, under Pope Benedict XV
Pope Benedict XV
Pope Benedict XV , born Giacomo Paolo Giovanni Battista della Chiesa, reigned as Pope from 3 September 1914 to 22 January 1922...
, and is now one of 167 churches so recognised in France. It remains a place of pilgrimage, and its fine furnishings and fittings attract considerable interest.
Administration
Mauriac is the seat of a sub-prefect and has a tribunal of first instance and a communal college. The present mayor is a member of the centre-right Union for a Popular MovementUnion for a Popular Movement
The Union for a Popular Movement is a centre-right political party in France, and one of the two major contemporary political parties in the country along with the center-left Socialist Party...
.
Population
Census figures are given below, showing growth, followed by a slight decline, over recent decades.An inhabitant of the area is called a Mauriacois.
Culture and language
The Mauriac area is a stronghold of the Auvergnat dialect of the Occitan language, whish has about 1.5 million speakers, mostly in the Puy-de-DômePuy-de-Dôme
Puy-de-Dôme is a department in the centre of France named after the famous dormant volcano, the Puy-de-Dôme.Inhabitants were called Puydedomois until December 2005...
and Cantal
Cantal
Cantal is a department in south-central France. It is named after the Cantal mountain range, a group of extinct, eroded volcanic peaks, which covers much of the department. Residents are known as Cantaliens or Cantalous....
départements. Although all of the population also speak French, Auvergnat is still the mother tongue in many homes, and is still used in both public and private by some residents. Its lexis
Lexis (linguistics)
In linguistics, a lexis is the total word-stock or lexicon having items of lexical, rather than grammatical, meaning. This notion contrasts starkly with the Chomskian proposition of a “Universal Grammar” as the prime mover for language...
, grammar
Grammar
In linguistics, grammar is the set of structural rules that govern the composition of clauses, phrases, and words in any given natural language. The term refers also to the study of such rules, and this field includes morphology, syntax, and phonology, often complemented by phonetics, semantics,...
and phonology
Phonology
Phonology is, broadly speaking, the subdiscipline of linguistics concerned with the sounds of language. That is, it is the systematic use of sound to encode meaning in any spoken human language, or the field of linguistics studying this use...
are also likely to influence the usage of spoken French. The place-name Mauriac has precisely the same written form in both languages, but is pronounced as "Mouria" by Auvergnat-speakers.
Economy
Mauriac is the main market town and shopping centre of the arrondissement. It still attracts pilgrims, as well as tourists because of its proximity to the Dordogne RiverDordogne River
The Dordogne is a river in south-central and southwest France.-Name:Contrary to appearances, the name of the Dordogne is not a recent word resulting from the names of the Dore and the Dogne...
valley and the mountains of Cantal, particularly the Puy Mary. The countryside of Mauriac and its neighbouring communes is known as the Pays de Salers, and is marketed under this name. It is famous for its dairy industry, particularly Salers and Cantal cheeses. There are marble quarries in the vicinity of Mauriac.
Major buildings
Mauriac has a considerable number of medieval and early modern buildings, mostly grouped in its historic centre, close to the basilica church and the former abbey site. Together, hey form the main focus for tourists in the town.Romanesque basilica of Notre-Dame-des-Miracles
A fine building in a local Auvergnat version of the RomanesqueRomanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
style. It is noted particularly for its carved western portal and its collection of 18th century Baroque
Baroque art
Baroque painting is the painting associated with the Baroque cultural movement. The movement is often identified with Absolutism, the Counter Reformation and Catholic Revival, but the existence of important Baroque art and architecture in non-absolutist and Protestant states throughout Western...
furnishings.
Remains of Saint Peter's abbey
The abbey was built in the 12th century to replace an earlier CarolingianCarolingian
The Carolingian dynasty was a Frankish noble family with origins in the Arnulfing and Pippinid clans of the 7th century AD. The name "Carolingian", Medieval Latin karolingi, an altered form of an unattested Old High German *karling, kerling The Carolingian dynasty (known variously as the...
monastery, which had itself been built on the site of a pagan shrine dedicated to Mercury
Mercury (mythology)
Mercury was a messenger who wore winged sandals, and a god of trade, the son of Maia Maiestas and Jupiter in Roman mythology. His name is related to the Latin word merx , mercari , and merces...
. The most important remains, including the chapter house
Chapter house
A chapter house or chapterhouse is a building or room attached to a cathedral or collegiate church in which meetings are held. They can also be found in medieval monasteries....
, are now in municipal ownership.
Former Jesuit college
Built after 1563 under the terms of a bequest of Guillaume DupratGuillaume Duprat
Guillaume Duprat was a French bishop. He founded the Collège de Clermont in Paris.He was born at Issoire, son of the chancellor and Cardinal Antoine Duprat. He was appointed Bishop of Clermont in 1529; later he took part in the last sessions of the Council of Trent. He was a patron of the Jesuits...
, bishop of Clermont
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Clermont
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Clermont, is an Archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic church, in France. The diocese comprises the department of Puy-de-Dôme, in the Region of Auvergne. Its see is Clermont-Ferrand Cathedral. For long a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Bourges, it...
, and rebuilt in the 18th century, the college has a magnificent portal and a Baroque chapel with a prominent retable
Retable
A retable is a framed altarpiece, raised slightly above the back of the altar or communion table, on which are placed the cross, ceremonial candlesticks and other ornaments....
. Today the building serves the local lycée.
Hôtel d'Orcet
Built in the 18th century by Gabriel de Viger d'Orcet, a local tax collector, and incorporating a restored 15th century tower, the hotel houses two large AubussonAubusson, Creuse
Aubusson is a commune in the Creuse department in the Limousin region in central France.-Geography:...
tapestries representing outdoor games. Today it is the headquarters of the sub-prefecture.
Personalities
- Jean-François MarmontelJean-François MarmontelJean-François Marmontel was a French historian and writer, a member of the Encyclopediste movement.-Biography:He was born of poor parents at Bort, Limousin...
(July 11, 1723 – December 31, 1799), historian and writer, a member of the Encyclopediste movement, was educated by the Jesuits at Mauriac. - Jean-Baptiste LacosteJean-Baptiste LacosteJean-Baptiste Lacoste was a lawyer with Mauriac in department of the Cantal, before French revolution.- Under the Revolution :In 1789, he was Justice of the Peace...
, (died 1821), was a lawyer in Mauriac before the Revolution, and later a member of the National ConventionNational ConventionDuring the French Revolution, the National Convention or Convention, in France, comprised the constitutional and legislative assembly which sat from 20 September 1792 to 26 October 1795 . It held executive power in France during the first years of the French First Republic...
and an active revolutionary. - Blessed Catherine JarrigeCatherine JarrigeBlessed Catherine Jarrige , known as Catinon Menette, a beatified third-order Dominican of the Catholic Church.- Youth :...
(4 October 1754 – 4 July 1836), known as Catinon Menette, a beatified third-order Dominican of the Catholic Church (see above) was active mainly in Mauriac and is venerated locally. - Jules-Géraud SaliègeJules-Géraud SaliègeJules-Géraud Saliège was a French Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Toulouse from 1928 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1946 by Pope Pius XII.-Biography:...
(24 February 1870—5 November 1956), a CardinalCardinal (Catholicism)A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
of the Roman Catholic ChurchRoman Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, was born at a hamlet close to Mauriac. He served as Archbishop of Toulouse from 1928 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1946 by Pope Pius XIIPope Pius XIIThe Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
. He was an outspoken critic of the German occupation of France during World War II and of the VichyVichy FranceVichy France, Vichy Regime, or Vichy Government, are common terms used to describe the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers from July 1940 to August 1944. This government succeeded the Third Republic and preceded the Provisional Government of the French Republic...
régime. - Fernand Talandier (15 May 1872 - 22 August 1957), who was born at Murat, to the east of Mauriac, was a French politician. He served as mayor of Mauriac for a prodigious term, from 1912 to 1945. In 1936, he entered the Chamber of DeputiesChamber of DeputiesChamber of deputies is the name given to a legislative body such as the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or can refer to a unicameral legislature.-Description:...
as a Radical Independent, and a supporter of the democratic left bloc. He nevertheless supported the handover of power to Marshal Philippe PétainPhilippe PétainHenri Philippe Benoni Omer Joseph Pétain , generally known as Philippe Pétain or Marshal Pétain , was a French general who reached the distinction of Marshal of France, and was later Chief of State of Vichy France , from 1940 to 1944...
in 1940. He never recovered his credibility and was unable to regain a political mandate after the war. - Marius-Félix-Antoine MaziersMarius MaziersMarius-Félix-Antoine Maziers was French prelate of the Roman Catholic Church.Maziers was born in Siran, France and was ordained a priest on October 9, 1938 in the Roman Catholic faith...
(1 March 1915 – 14 August 2008), born at Mauriac, was an Archbishop of LyonRoman Catholic Archdiocese of LyonThe Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lyon is a Roman Catholic Metropolitan archdiocese in France. It incorporates the ancient Archdiocese of Vienne. The current Cardinal-Archbishop is Philippe Barbarin...
and later Archbishop of Bordeaux. - Louis BergaudLouis BergaudLouis Bergaud was a French professional road bicycle racer.- Palmarès :1954Louis Bergaud was a French professional road bicycle racer.- Palmarès :1954...
(30 November 1928), born at Embrassac de Jabeyrac, a hamlet to the north of Mauriac, was a French professional road bicycle racer.
