"POITOU-CHARENTES... CENTRE-OUEST " a Poitou-Charentes Travel Page by vibi68

If the actual department of Deux-Sèvres has existed as such only for the past two centuries, its history within Poitou, dates of the prehistorical times, for burials found under tumulus de Bougon are dated from the Neolithic era. After the Roman conquest, the area developped around centers like Poitiers and Saintes, a road network was built and starting the 4th century, the Christian faith settled in, under the influence of St Hilaire, bishop of Poitiers. After the Germanic invasions and the battle of Vouillé, Poitou formed part of the Aquitaine's kingdom then, duchy of Aquitaine. The Carolingian period was marked by a certain prosperity, which development related to the silver mines of Melle. Later, the influence of the dukes of Aquitaine appeared to promote romanesque art such as Melle, Parthenay-le-Vieux, Airvault and later, Gothic art. From the 12th century, Poitou was one of the stakes in fights between France's and England's conquests, and was finaly integrated to France by the treaty of Paris in 1259. After a few decades of prosperity, the area was again subjected to the "Guerre de Cent ans"'s disasters and became an English province until the victory of Duguesclin over the English in 1373. The internal fights between large feodal lords continued well into the 15th century, until the victory of Louis of Trémoille in 1488. Consequently, royal administration was firmly established in Poitou, which depended directly on the Paris' Parliement. With the end of the 16th century and the wars of religions, began a new difficult period, which was marked very early by the influence of Protestantism. The Revolution was an important stepping stone, since on March 4th, 1790 the department of Deux-Sevres was created. Peace took however a long time to return; after the revolution's disorders, the department was very damaged by the "Guerre de Vendée". Progress was sensitive especially in the second half of the 19th century; the development of roads, the railway network and the introduction of new agricultural and industrial activities contributed to the rise of the trade and fairs as well as the development of industries such as sugar refinery in Melle, food industry, glove factory, automotive engineering in Niort and the north of the department. With the end of the 19th century, after the crisis of phylloxéra, the first dairy co-operative became a speciality of the department; initially found around Surgères, then Mauzé, they reached their apogee a short time before WWI. After the shock of WWI, Deux-Sevres underwent the 30's crisis, marked by the rural migration and unemployment. In 1934, the first mutual insurance company was founded. Between 1945 and 1975, Deux-Sèvres went through a period of expansion and economic development; the new industrial activities and the rise of mutual insurance companies. The end of the 20th century is marked by the assertion of the Deux-Sévrienne identity, thanks to the decentralization law of 1983, north-south political cleavages grew smaller and the general Council became the essential part of the department's life. The economy underwent new changes, with the arrival of new technologies which were essential to the declining industrial sector. Finaly, Deux-Sévriens rediscovered the richness of their inheritance and traditions late in the end of the last century. It is due to that rediscovery of their inheritance, that I was able in Deux-Sèvres, to sleep in a castle. As its dwellers open more and more their doors, to have tourists share with them the beauty of their land and traditions, in the Château de Cherveux, one can rent a room for the night, sleep with the legend and visit its amazing dungeons in company of the chatelaine. Deux-Sèvres is also the land of made-made Poitevin marshes, over 4000km of water canals on which you can canoe for hours, through enchanting forests filled with a fascinating fauna and flora.

The department of Vienne was formed, in 1790, in the region called "haut Poitou". Before the Roman conquest, this county was inhabited by Pictones, Pictons name transformed itself later into Pictavi, an important tribe of the Gallic nation. Publius Crassus, one of Ceasar's lieutenant, penetrated first Pictons; Ceasar himself came later to incorporate the territory in Aquitaine. Poitou joined the provinces's efforts along with Vercingétorix and protested with Vercingétorix against the forces from abroad, and his contingent, under Alise's walls, paid his debt to the oppressed nation. There, like elsewhere, the skilful policy of the winners managed to irritate, to numb during several centuries the resentments of the overcame. The benefits of Roman civilization had them forget the shames of the constraint. The camps became cities, the old cities were embellished, routes were traced and opened, the trade and arts completed the work which the victories of the legions had begun. As this social transformation was barely accomplished, the Romans regreted having as allies only slaves to be opposed to the enemies who came to dispute their conquests. The Roman domination was slowly erased and completely disappeared; the Visigoth empire was then founded. It had the Loire and the Pyrenees as limits; Poitou was part of it.