Machecoul
Machecoul | |
|---|---|
Part of Machecoul-Saint-Même | |
 The town hall in Machecoul | |
 Coat of arms | |
Location of Machecoul  | |
  Machecoul  Machecoul | |
| Coordinates: 46°59′38″N 1°49′18″W / 46.9939°N 1.8217°W | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Pays de la Loire |
| Department | Loire-Atlantique |
| Arrondissement | Nantes |
| Canton | Machecoul-Saint-Même |
| Commune | Machecoul-Saint-Même |
| Area 1 | 66.62 km2 (25.72 sq mi) |
| Population (2021)[1] | 6,412 |
| • Density | 96/km2 (250/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 44270 |
| Elevation | 0–36 m (0–118 ft) (avg. 5 m or 16 ft) |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
Machecoul (French pronunciation: [maʃku(l)]; Breton: Machikoul) is a former commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Machecoul-Saint-Même.[2] It was the site of First Massacre of Machecoul, the opening of the War in the Vendée in 1793.
Geography
[edit]The commune of Machecoul is surrounded by the following communes:
- in Loire-Atlantique: Bourgneuf-en-Retz, Fresnay-en-Retz, Saint-Même-le-Tenu, Saint-Mars-de-Coutais, Saint-Lumine-de-Coutais, Saint-Philbert-de-Grand-Lieu, La Marne, Paulx
- in Vendée: Bois-de-Céné.
Population
[edit]Its inhabitants are called Machecoulais in French.
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 5,732 | — |
| 2011 | 5,950 | +0.75% |
| 2021 | 6,412 | +0.75% |
| Source: INSEE[3][1] | ||
Sights
[edit]- Gallo-Roman Wood Lighthouse ("Phare à Bois").
- 8th-century Merovingian sarcophagi.
- Many old mills.
- 11th-century Notre-Dame-de-la-Chaume abbey.
- Former 13th-century Romanesque church.
- La Trinité church (1881).
- 11th-century Cahouët Bridge ("Pont de Cahouët"), wrongly called the "Roman Bridge" ("Pont Romain") – it does not date from Roman times. Small bridge over the river Falleron.
- Castle of Machecoul, also known as "Castle of Gilles de Rais" ("Château de Gilles de Rais") or "Bluebeard's castle" ("Château de Barbe-Bleue"): close to the town centre are the ruins of the 13th-century castle of the town, once owned by the infamous child-murderer Gilles de Rais (c. 1405 – 1440). Nowadays, on summer evenings, one can partake of a son et lumière show telling his story.
- The "Auditoire" (18th-century). A former court's main hall (central part), which was built in 1755.
- The Lime Kiln ("Four à Chaux") (1857). Located on Saint-Michel Island, rich in limestone. Restored in 2001.
- Les Halles (1885).
- The Hippodrome des Chaumes (1885).
- The former Segin Distillery (1886).
Economy
[edit]On the edge of town is the Gitane bicycle factory. Fans of the Tour de France will recall the Breton cyclist Bernard Hinault riding for them in the 1970s.
Machecoul has a weekly street market where one can buy roasted poulet noir, the black chicken of Challans.
Twin towns
[edit]Machecoul is twinned with:
- Ühlingen-Birkendorf, Baden-Württemberg, Germany;
- Shifnal, Shropshire, United Kingdom;
- Valea Drăganului, Transylvania, Romania.
People
[edit]Machecoul was the birthplace of:
- Gilles de Rais (c. 1405 – 1440), noble, soldier, and one time brother-in-arms of Joan of Arc. He was later accused and ultimately convicted of torturing, raping and murdering dozens, if not hundreds, of young children, mostly boys.
- Marc Daviaud (born 1958), retired French professional footballer
- Marc Éliard (born 1958), bass player of the new wave/rock band Indochine.
- Cédric Michaud (born 1976), marathon speed skater.
- Mickaël Landreau (born 1979), professional football (soccer) player.
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Populations légales 2021" [Legal populations 2021] (PDF) (in French). INSEE. December 2023.
- ^ Arrêté préfectoral 23 November 2015.
- ^ Populations légales 2011, INSEE
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