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A-Z of the Communes in the Deux-Sèvres
Vasles
by Sue Burgess
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Vasles is the commune of the Gâtine which is spread over the widest area. The commune’s origins are very old. Several prehistoric sites have been discovered in the area. The first written record of the town dates from the Xth century where the settlement is mentioned under the name of Villa Valerius, giving reference to vast agricultural domains and also houses grouped around a church. The name Vasles appears in documents from the XIIIth century onwards. The spelling of the name changed during the XIIIth century from "Valbis" to "Vallas" and then to "Vales" and "Vallez". The spelling "Vasles" dates from 1377. After the Hundred Years' war, the Poitou became English between 1356 and 1373; however, the Abbess Marguerite du Rivau (abbess from 1353 to 1371 and then Galienne Du Pouget until 1391) retained the rights of seigneury (lordship) of Vasles. Despite conflicts with neighbouring seigneuries the abbesses of Sainte-Croix remained the "Dames de la Seigneurie de Vasles" until the Revolution. However, in 1440, the lord of Montreuil Bonnin (Vernon who was descended from a Scottish line) contested the rights of the Abbey over Vasles and the surrounding woods. A trial took place in spite of the protection that Charles VI (1403-1461) had given to the abbesses of SainteCroix. But then in 1467, King Louis XI (1423-1483) confirmed the rights of the Abbey and the Abbess, Isabeau de Couhé, had a beautiful mansion built in Vasles. It was fortified with a tower and a drawbridge over a ditch. She stayed there for several months in 1469. In the next few years, the lord of Montreuil Bonnin (Raoul Vernon) and his brothers Phillipe and Jacques, and the lord of Cherves (Pierre Moreau), attacked the property several times and it was frequently pillaged during the 15th century.
The Seigneurie de Vasles.
The name "Vasles" then, comes form "Valérius", the name of an important Roman who lived in the village during Roman times. Clotaire 1st (498-561), King of the Francs and his wife Radegonde (519-587) decided to gift the lands of the Seigneurie of Vasles to the Royal Abbey of SainteCroix of Poitiers, so that the Abbey could be financially independent. The Abbey was founded by Radegonde in 550 and, to this day, the church is dedicated to Saint Radegonde. As it belonged to the Royal Abbey, the Seigneurie of Vasles came directly under royal suzerainty and held all the rights of the different jurisdictions and courts. It also had fiscal rights. The seigneurie included parts of the lands and woods at Ayron, Chalandray, Cherves, Maillé, Latillé, Frozes, Benassay, Vasles, Vausseroux and Saint Martin du Fouilloux. There were 11 fiefdoms in total. After the Wars of Religion of the 16th century, the Abbess, Flandrine de Nassau, had the church rebuilt in 1610. This romanesque style building was partly destroyed in 1900 to make room for the new church and square.
A VOIR / MUST SEE Sainte-Radegonde Church.
The medieval church was bordered on the north side by the buildings of the clergy (remains of the ancient chateau of the Abbess of Sainte-Croix of Poitiers) and by a water filled ditch. The church had a XIIIth century choir, a XVth century nave, and there was a huge romanesque doorway in the facade. Before the Revolution, the parish of Vasles depended on the Abbey of Sainte-Croix of Poitiers. Between 1900 and 1905, the church was entirely rebuilt under the direction of the architect Segrétain. The new building was positioned differently along a North / South axis rather than an East / West one. This was so that the church did not interfere with surrounding buildings. The nave is lit by windows which are placed high up, as well as by the numerous bays in the lower part. The bays are decorated with stained glass windows dating from the beginning of the XXth century. They were paid for from donations notably from the La Sayette family. There were other religious buildings on the commune, in particular the priory Saint-Jacques de l’Habit Mangot. Today only a few remains can be seen.
Château de La Sayette, Logis de Neufchèze and Logis de Paulier (private properties)
In the town, to the west of the church, can be found a lodging dating from the Middle Ages. There is a high roof with a steep slope. The roof is covered with flat tiles and its facades have windows surrounded by moulded frames. A mullion window is sculpted with two small figurines.
There are numerous large houses on the commune.
Amongst these, the logis of Neufchèze, built in the Middle Ages then completed in the XVIIIth century, still has part of its moat and a park full of trees which are hundreds of years old. The logis de Paulier, which belonged to the Abbey of Sainte-Croix of Poitiers in the XVth century, was the property of the Pidoux family between the XVIth and the XVIIIth centuries. Listed as a historical building since 1984, this logis still has a medieval feeling despite modernisation. Le château de la Sayette was one of the fortified houses which ensured the protection of the fortress of Montreuil. Covered by a slate roof, the huge body of the house has two circular towers, two corner paviliions and a chapel. The central part of the house dates from the XVth century, but the windows and doors were modified in the XVIIth century. Between 1850 and 1880, the wings were taken out during important modification works, as well as the existing pigeon loft, whilst a neo-Gothic chapel embellished with stained glass windows created by Lobin and Fournier, was built. The chateau is surrounded by a park with: • a garden with a central lawn shaded by remarkable trees. • a classical style garden, • a vegetable garden and orchard with a pond and a bower.
Washhouses
Each village used to have a washhouse: la Pagerie, la Coursaudière, Bouillé, Le Porteau, Brin… In the town centre, the washhouse situated alongside the river Boivre dates from the last part of the XIXth century and it replaced a structure which had only been built forty years earlier.
Mouton village
A site of 6 hectares. There are 22 different breeds of sheep and an arboretum with over 4000 trees which is a LPO (equivalent of the RSPB) refuge.
Monument in memory of François GEORGES, near the Route de Vausseroux,
25 August 1944 in Vasles. For several weeks different German troops had been patrolling around Vasles looking for members of the FFI. On the morning of the 25th August, a German vehicle was destroyed by a group of FFI from Sanxay. At least three soldiers were killed. About 200 German soldiers, present in the town of Vasles, searched the houses and brought about 30 hostages out in front of the church. One of them managed to get a message to his daughter so that she could warn the resistance in Sanxay to do nothing that would put the lives of the hostages in danger. On the day that Paris was celebrating its liberation, the inhabitants of Vasles were frightened. Searches had already taken place in Vasles and Ménigoute and the massacre of Oradour sur Glane was on everyone's minds. A few days beforehand, on the 12th August, in Sanxay the Germans had assembled nearly 300 hostages on the square. They were freed at the end of the day after checking of identity papers and searching the town. In Vasles, the German troops were trying to find members of the resistance who were very active in the area. François Georges, a young resistant from Lavauthe Gerasseau, was cycling to Parthenay, carrying documents for Colonel Robin. Inhabitants, at Verrines, warned him of the presence of the the Germans and tried to persuade him not to cross Vasles. Bravely, he tried to get through anyway. He was arrested and searched, and the documents were found. He was placed with the other hostages outside the church. After some negotiations, the mayor, Monsieur Roullet, obtained the liberation of the hostages. Some were freed that evening and the others the next morning. But at about 7pm on the evening of the 25th August, François Georges was separated from the other hostages. Shots were heard at the end of the day in a field near the town. The next morning François' body was found near Route de Vausseroux, where a monument has since been erected.
