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Curzon
This is an
attractive little village on what was the coast during the Roman period.
It is situated on high ground above the north eastern side of the Marais Poitevin
close to a major tributary of the River Lay. It was a fortified port
during the middle ages when barges navigated their way via the River Lay
through the Marais and then to the sea. The commune was of great
importance in the past and from the 10th to the 15th century it had a
population of around one thousand people.
The church of Curzon was rebuilt in 1873 on the site of earlier
churches that dated back to the 10th century. The present church has one
treasure which is its crypt, ignored for centuries it was indicated in
writings from l'Abbeye Aillery in 1850, it was rediscovered in 1861 when
work to dig it out and restore it began. A small pair of wooden doors
on the floor in front of the altar opens up a staircase that leads down
to a vaulted nave held up by 4 sculptured capitals in the centre and 10
columns built into the walls. There is also an original and unique
window to the crypt.
The Commons. On the Marais below the village is an original commons
pasture. The two hundred and ninety four hectare commons is the largest
of ten that exist on the Marais Poitevin in the Vendée. The commons
have been part of the Marais since the 12th century and allow residents
to graze their cattle, horses and geese freely on these humid
marshlands.
Besides being a common grazing land the area is exceptional for its natural beauty and its diverse flora and fauna.
Photo gallery for Curzon.
St.Benoist. It is a couple of kilometres further along the D46 and is another ancient village on the old coast line of the Vendée
Port de la Claye. On the road from Lucon
is a turn off of the D949 into the small commune of Port de la claye,
this ancient port on the River Lay was a river crossing point for the
Romans and one can still see the old bridge that crossed the river. The
road has been straightened and a newer bridge now crosses at this point.
The pretty village is typical of many villages exhibiting
characteristics of when the old coastline was, up until the middle ages,
on their doorstep.
Return to find more interesting towns and villages in the Vendee
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