The History …
Take also a look to sections “Origin” & “Discoverie & Pathways“
Family’s Martineau at la Grisse since 1930 …
La Grisse is a farm situated at the extrem South of “le Givre Village”, in sight of La Jonchère village, which is much closer
This farm still appear on old maps of the area … Oral tradition tells that in the past this site was an isolated wasteland swamp of clay, a simple Sheepfold, which depended on the Angles’ Abbaye in the original landscape of “Talmondais” … Thereafter, this “Métairie” ( a small farm ) among others was dependent on the surrounding Castles, transferred amongst the high families alliances … May have been ceded to the nobles during the French Révolution and sold like ” National property”, the original farm of la Grisse was probably destroyed in 1794, like others farms and villages all around, by the famous “Infernal Colomns” of the terrible Republican General “Huché” from Luçon, who prevailled with a bloody hand on this South Vendée zone … The present old buildings of la Grisse date from the XIXth centuary and were the property of a landowners’ family untill 1930,the date of sale of the farm to Florimon Martineau, my Great Grand Father …
After Florimon, came Gustave & Claude, it’s the 4th generation of breeder-farmers “Didier Martineau“, who created with his parents the family campsite in 1995 …
A Farm Campsite “High Comfort” at the beginning was only camping places for tentes and caravans untill 2008, in 2009 was born a new dimension of 79 places for Rental and Residential mobile homes accessible all year” with “ free WiFi ” on the whole area. Certainely, since the beginning the campsite had change of size, but the “Spirit of la Grisse” remains the same Usability” first … And in 2014, we are entered into our 20th Season …
The History of the Region …
The current “Vendée” was called “Bas Poitou” ( Low Poitou ) in the History …
Since the Neolithic till the Megaliths time of 5000 years, it’s how long the Antiquity of the Celts « Pictons » will gave their name Poitou » to this large Country “Sèvres-South Vendée-Charentes” and the wide Bay which dominates it. The « Pertuis Breton » ( Breton Sluices ) … Still a Sea at this period made up of a myriad of small islands now all became one Land, this deep « Golfe des Pictons » ( Pictons Gulf ) at around -500 years ago first Carthaginian coastal encounters made the “Tin” road, in direction of Brittany after the Gallo-romans Sites betwwen 1st & 4th centuries, it was christianized by Saints at the end of this period. At the 5th centuary, it was “Wisigoths” invaders who got this land with all Aquitaine, quickly driven back by Clovis, the first King “Franc”. It was “Gold age” of “Merovingians” between the 6th & 8th centuries, then “Carolingians” to the 9th centuary, finished roughly by Normans Raids between 9th & 10th centuaries, leaving this West Country of France totaly devasted and abandoned for a century … Finally, this was the revival of Feudal time of the 11th centuary who really made the Historic Heart of this Region, created by new Counts of Poitou, “the Guillaumes” ( Williams ) who became Dukes of Aquitaine. During this new “Gold Age” of the foundation of Castles & Abbeyes, the 12th centuary saw in “Poitou” the Romanesque peak of “Plantagenets“ Anglo-Normands driven by the Great Queen “Eleanor d’Aquitaine“. But, it was the French Kingdom which finished this Romanesque Cathedral times in the 13th century the result of the battle of “Bouvines” which signalled the end of the “Plantagenet Empire” … The 14th & 15th centuaries saw the Poitevine Feudal troubled by the fratricidal 100 years war, like everywhere in France. Then it was the « The Renaissance » of 16 th century , which finished again in pain by the “Religion wars” at the beginning of the 17th centuary, particulary hard in our Protestant » South of Vendee after the severe “takeover” by the Cardinal Richelieu, the first minister of Louis XIII. All stayed in hand under Louis XIV, and the beginning of 18th centuary was marked in Vendée by the Era of “Grignon de Monfort”, the “peasant Evangeliser”, like everywhere in the West of France … As everybody knows, the end of 18th centuary was ended in the tumoil of the French Révolution, but it got had a special tragic turn in the new « Vendée » so difficult at this time of change resulting in the insurgence by peasants against the New République who came to kill its priests and take its children for making war ! … That’s the terrible « Guerre de Vendée » ( Vendean War ) with its genocidal ravages … Finally, this rebellious country deeply divided definitely « pacified » by Napoléon with the creation of a new main regional capital at la Roche /Yon”, called « Napoléon Vendée », situated just to the middle of the Northern rebel area, so moving the focal center of the department at detrimental of the South, still faithful with the Republic. During the whole of 19th century a very low reconstruction took place under close surveillance, this Wide West of France remains an essentialy rural country seen as disreputable by “Fine Gentlemen” of Paris … Then, our Région was totally bypassed by the Industrial Révolution which came to North & East of France …
Yet, the result of work of teachers from 3th Republic and new Campaign priests will bear fruit … At the beginning of 20th centuary, youngs Vendeans volunteer to fight for the Republic again in danger … Like what, how times have changed ! … And it will be “Georges Clémenceau“, a Great Vendean Républicain, who will save France from this 1th Mondial war, so bad engaged … But the « Father of Victory » gonna be miss the Peace who leading 20 years later into the 2d Mondial War … “Win the War is one thing, but win the Peace is something else ! …” It will be the main regret of Clémenceau …
At last, supreme reward come at the end of 20th century common to all, with the advent of the “Vendée” recognized like First Department of France for Agriculture, Tourism and Industrial SMEs …
In this beginning of 21th centuary, the Vendée has even become one of the first destination of « Rurbans » for its Living …
Not so bad for simple Peasants, isn’t it ? …