Cultural heritage

History

The Monastery of the Minimes, founded in 1617 by the Marquis of Aubeterre, François d’Esparbes de Lussan and his wife, is now a privately owned (Nursing Home).  Only the Chapel is open to the public.

Monks came from the Monastery of Blaye in the Gironde, to settle in Aubeterre at the beginning of the 17th century.  The Minimes are one of the grand orders of poverty, like the Franciscans (Cordeliers) from which they have originate.  The Minimes arrived in Aubeterre after the expulsion of the Huguenots.  They wanted to regain religious authority.  The monastery has a classical architecture dating from the 17th century but shows a mixture of styles – late Gothic for the bay windows, the cross vaults are based on Baroque capitals.  At its inception, the plan consisted of 4 arches, one nave with 2 chapels alongside and a flat apse.

The great classical altarpiece dating from the 18th century is particularly noteworthy.  It is rare to see such a large stone altarpiece in a rural church, they are usually in painted wood in the Baroque style.  Here the large Corinthian pillars, topped with carved cornices and imposing pediment are a perfect example of the taste for a return to antiquity.  Below the altarpiece a carved and painted relief shows an asymmetrical composition of angels holding suns in their hands.

The austere lines of the cloister and its stonework strongly resemble that of Blaye, the principal monastery of the Minimes of Aubeterre.  

The quality of the stonework and the balance of the composition of the cloister is something of an architectural  achievement.  Other cloisters still intact in the area can be visited, at Chalais, Cognac and La Rochefoucauld.

Established in Aubeterre since the 13th century, the “Cordeliers” were important and owned considerable land and buildings in the area.  They also controlled the Hospital (hostel) at the foot of the village which was where they welcomed and cared for pilgrims en route for Santiago de Compostela.  
 
Today, on the wall of a private house, you can see an arch and three niches ornamented by shells of St Jacques (scallop shells). The scallop shell being the ornamental motif of the Italian renaissance in classic French architecture. All that remains of the monastery chapel of the Cordeliers. Their monastery was destroyed during the religious wars and the Cordeliers were replaced in Aubeterre by the Minime monks.
 
From 1620, the Sisters of St Claire established themselves in the village.  They welcomed the daughters of good families who wanted to retire to the convent.  After the French Revolution, the convent, like many other religious buildings, was sold to the State.  this former convent of the Clarisses is a large private property, the façade embellished by a tower dating from the 17th century.  The tower, topped off with openings and a walkway, indicates the military origins of the building.  Before being a convent, it was a fortress protecting the heights of the village and standing opposite the castle which dominated the Dronne valley.

All that remains of the ancient feudal castle is the small fortified entrance, dating from the 16th century.  This is now a private house.  The main body of the building was completely dismantled when the last owner sold it stone by stone in 1820.
 You may be reminded of the charming villages of the south as you walk down Rue St Jacques towards the main square and gaze at the castle on the cliff and the houses with their wooden balconies.

Ludovic Trarieux

Ludovic TRARIEUX was born in Aubeterre on the 30th November 1840.
 
A brilliant pupil, he became a lawyer at 22 yrs of age and was accepted as a barrister at the Bar of Bordeaux at the age of 37.  He became the Member of Parliament for the Gironde and then Senator until his death.  He was a Counsellor for the Charente in 1883, and named ‘Keeper of the Seal’ in 1885.  He went to Paris in 1881.  
 
On the 19th of December 1894, the infamous trial of Captain Dreyfus opened.  Convinced of his innocence, Trarieux went on to become the indefatigable defender of the accused Captain and in so doing, sacrificed his professional and political career.  In rejecting the military accusations and confronting the nationalist and anti-Semitic activists, Trarieux devoted himself to the passionate struggle for the defence of freedom and justice.  
 
Trarieux was a witness during the trial of the writer Emile Zola in 1898, after the publication of the famous pamphlet “J’Accuse”.  After consulting many friends, on 4th June 1898, Trarieux established The French League for the defence of the Citizen and Human Rights and  went on to become the first President.  On the 14th July 1898, the first manifesto proclaimed “From now on, every person whose freedom is threatened or whose rights are violated, is assured of receiving from us, help and assistance”.
 
On the 12th July 1906, the guilty verdict of Dreyfus was overturned and he received the “Legion d’Honneur”.  Sadly Trarieux had died 2 years before, but the League for Human Rights, with many thousands of members, including Doctor Gaillardon of Aubeterre, expands throughout the world in  the defence of freedom and democracy.
 
In 1985, the Institute for Human Rights of the Bar of Bordeaux created an International Prize in the name of Ludovic Trarieux, offered to” a lawyer who, through his work, his activity, or his struggle, has defended Human Rights, and in particular, the fight against racism and intolerance in all its forms”.
 
Nelson Mandela was the first Laureate.
 
You can find documents relating to the life of Ludovic Trarieux at the exhibition in his family home, in rue Barbecane.  Entry to the exhibition is free.  The association of EDHLUT was founded in 2003 in Aubeterre to pay tribute to Ludovic Trarieux and in particular his courtesy and determination to help others.  A carved bronze bust was placed in the centre of the village in 1928.  It was removed and melted down during the German Occupation, stolen in 1987, and then replaced to remind everyone of the history of this famous citizen of Aubeterre sur Dronne.