Joan of Arc’s Homeland: Domremy and Vaucouleurs
by Francois Hagnere on 17/10/10 at 4:56 am
Around Nancy in Lorraine, let us discover the homeland of Joan of Arc where her heroic epos began.
Domrémy was a border town in the Middle-Ages, surrounded by ramparts. As it became a “Royal Town” in 1365, it was governed in the name of the King of France by the Lord Robert de Baudricourt. This is when Joan of Arc, a young peasant aged 16, came and talked to this governor on May 13, 1428 and stated she was the only person capable of delivering France from the British. Baudricourt just laughed and ordered the young girl be taken back to her father “with a good slap in her face”. However, Joan of Arc proclaiming her mission, gained the people little by little, to such extent that the inhabitants of Vaucouleurs clubbed together in order to raise money and buy her a horse and equipment. In front of this movement of opinion, Baudricourt, staggered and much impressed by the news of the defeat of Dunois on February 12, 1429 given to him by Joan of Arc on the same day, finally granted Joan an escort of six men to meet the King in Chinon. Dressed as a man, her hair cut, Joan left Vaucouleurs through the “Porte de France”, on February 23, 1429, greeted with the crowd cheers. In Vaucouleurs, you can still see this Porte (gate) and the important remains of the old enceinte.
From the castle of the Baudricourt, excavations made in 1933 showed the basis of three towers, the vestiges of two enceintes flanked by buttresses, a gallery and walls proving that the ground floor and basement still exist, hidden in the ground and debris coming from the demolishing of the upper parts. At the little museum, a room is devoted to Joan of Arc. Her statue in bronze, on the main square was first erected in Algiers on the Square Laferrière in 1930. Torn down and mutilated in 1962, it was then returned to France and restored by a public subscription.
The new chapel (1923) of the castle of Baudricourt and the old Porte de France, restored in 1733, each year a medieval pageantry takes place here in honor of Joan of Arc.
Image credit: http://s3.amazonaws.com/readers/2010/10/17/chapellecastralevaucouleurs_1.jpg
Monument to the glory of Joan of Arc, statue by Halbout du Tannay (1951) erected in 1966.
Image credit: http://s3.amazonaws.com/readers/2010/10/17/jeannearc_1.jpg
As you drive approximately 20 km towards North, you reach Domrémy. This village is famous the world over, this is where Joan of Arc was born on January 6, 1412. It is in the Bois-Chenu, then an estate belonging to her parents that in the Summer of 1424, Joan heard, for the very first time, the voices of Saint-Michael, Saint-Marguerite and Saint-Catherine. She was canonized in 1919, her holiday being on the second Sunday of May was decreed a national holiday by the Government.
the House of Joan of Arc, that you can visit, remains, despite the restorations, a genuine house of well-to-do peasants. The adjacent little museum methodically presents all the information concerning Joan of Arc, nicknamed the Maid of Orléans, her family, her mission, her ride through France, the trial, and the cult dedicated to the memory of the heroine. The church has been altered several times but the old choir is well the one where Joan made her first Holy Communion. The basilica of Joan of Arc, close to the Bois-Chenu, at 2 km from here, is a place of pilgrimage that welcomes many visitors.
This article is dedicated to my friend Sharif Ishnin, a great and sympathetic writer who has a particular interest in the epos of Joan of Arc and the Hundred Years War.
Joan of Arc birthplace in Domrémy. House listed a historical monument on the first list in 1840.
Image credit: http://s3.amazonaws.com/readers/2010/10/17/jeannedarcbirthplace_1.jpg
Statue of Joan of Arc listening to her voices. Domrémy.
Image credit: http://s3.amazonaws.com/readers/2010/10/17/jeanned27arcetstmichel_1.jpg
Basilica of Joan of Arc at the Bois-Chenu, near Domrémy.
Image credit: http://s3.amazonaws.com/readers/2010/10/17/basiliqueduboischc3aanu_1.jpg
The church of Domrémy.
Image credit: http://s3.amazonaws.com/readers/2010/10/17/domrc3a9myl27c3a9glise_1.jpg
Liked it
Kaye TM
Oct 17th, 2010
thanks for the share! =p
SharifaMcFarlane
Oct 17th, 2010
Beautiful share. I am sure Sharif will appreciate it. I know he has read quite a bit on Joan of Arc.
Thank you for sharing this with us Francois.
Lucas Dié
Oct 17th, 2010
a fascinating article again; I loved it
Christine Ramsay
Oct 17th, 2010
You have told the story of the life of Joan of Arc so well. She was an amazing woman and it is so interesting to learn about the places lived and fought.
Christine
lapasan
Oct 17th, 2010
Nice article with beautiful accompanying pictures. I also like the story of the life of Joan of Arc.
Sharif Ishnin
Oct 17th, 2010
Hearing and reading about the topic is one thing but to actually see the actual location where the historic events have taken place is simply wonderful. I first came across the story of Joan of Arc through the play by George Bernard Shaw while in school. After that I got hooked on medieval history. I’ve always read about the battles that have taken place but now you have provided the locations and architectures that were present in those times as well. This is fascinating and excellent discovery for me Francois. Thank you so much for the dedication and for the article my friend.:)
margaridab
Oct 17th, 2010
What a cool name for a town! Domrémy. It sounds like music.
Gallery2011
Oct 17th, 2010
Great Joan..!
awesome11
Oct 17th, 2010
great share! thanks!
GodsGrace
Oct 17th, 2010
Good Post
Mr Ghaz
Oct 17th, 2010
Very informative and well researched article. Nicely done my friend. Keep them coming
strategy03
Oct 17th, 2010
Nice write. I am impressed from this
Likha
Oct 17th, 2010
St. Joan of Arc… this could be a better account of her life than what’s on Wikipedia. Awesome. You must have lived during those glorious times of France to relive them so beautifully on here.
Mythili Kannan
Oct 17th, 2010
Great information
JoeLopy
Oct 17th, 2010
This is a great article. Thank you, my friend.
William2010
Oct 17th, 2010
Really interesting, and lovely buildings and monuments to Joan of Arc. I really want to visit Domrémy now!
Great Share
Brewed Coffee
Oct 17th, 2010
Such a remarkable woman. It’s a wonderful article that I enjoyed reading. Thanks for the little history lesson.
Rehoboth
Oct 18th, 2010
- nice-$
ShiningStar
Oct 18th, 2010
very nice post
MaxBuceo
Oct 18th, 2010
Nice place. I like this post
Abhipray Sahoo
Oct 18th, 2010
Indeed, age does not matter.
Well researched article.
Starpisces
Oct 18th, 2010
Francois, this is an excellent writeup, very wel explained, with great pictures too. Fantastic, thumbs up! Wow!
Another “Wow” for Sharif, for knowing about this topic too. So nice that this post is dedicated to him, if I were him, will smile like this smiley.
ishinimrod
Oct 18th, 2010
Well written. I deeply appreciate this my friend.
albert1jemi
Oct 18th, 2010
well written
webseowriters
Oct 18th, 2010
Thanks for sharing
PSingh1990
Oct 18th, 2010
Nice Share.
albert1jemi
Oct 18th, 2010
great share
GodsGrace
Oct 18th, 2010
Nice Work
Belinda Dobie
Oct 18th, 2010
Your articles just get better and better
Francois Hagnere
Oct 18th, 2010
Thanks you all for such nice comments. Take care and very best wishes to all.
Patrick Bernauw
Oct 18th, 2010
Great article, well written & researched, blogged it on:
http://historicalmysterywriter.blogspot.com/2010/10/joan-of-arcs-homeland-domremy-and.html
NancyNolanAustin
Oct 18th, 2010
Very well researched article. I enjoy reading about her and watching documentaries.
giftarist
Oct 18th, 2010
I must agree with Likha, friend. This was such a great piece.
Dee Gold
Oct 19th, 2010
wow,thanks for sharing this
bobie
Oct 19th, 2010
very interesting article . .i saw the movie joan of arc and its really good story
Rehoboth
Oct 19th, 2010
$-good post-$
749841692369
Oct 19th, 2010
very interesting, the story is told quite well.
A Jom
Oct 19th, 2010
Ahh, I want to go there!
SuperMember
Oct 19th, 2010
look interesting place! makes me wanna visit there
CA Johnson
Oct 19th, 2010
This was an excellent article. I really enjoyed it and it was very well written. I loved the pics too.
carissimi
Oct 19th, 2010
The Soul Explorer
Oct 19th, 2010
Nice share and the photos are good! Liked it!
lovestar
Oct 21st, 2010
nice article , thax for share
MJ Sunderland
Oct 21st, 2010
Fantastic, Francois. Great account of the architectural traces of one of the great heroine’s of France.
Ruby Hawk
Oct 21st, 2010
An amazing historical figure, thanks for the interesting review and pictures.
Brewed Coffee
Oct 22nd, 2010
Revisiting and giving my congratulations for being in the hot content list since last week…or was it from the week before that? Anyways, good job my friend!
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Lee Ness
Oct 22nd, 2010
Love all the pictures. i felt I was there while reading this article.
Very nicely done.
Have a great day!
Sincerley Lee ness
Ben D Kennedy
Oct 22nd, 2010
Great pictures of Joan of Arc’s home region. Thanks for posting them.
Ben D. Kennedy
http://www.maidofheaven.com
Erin Miller
Oct 23rd, 2010
Wow! One of my favorite women in history! Thanks so much for sharing!
Leonardo da Vinci E.
Oct 23rd, 2010
What Joan actually heard was her own subconscious mind doing verbal play in her head because she had the condition medical science now recoginize as schizophrenia. The subconscious mind will make use of your belief system to manipulate your actions for weal or woe, and so it was with Joan and also several of the biblical phrophets.
Luna Morena
Oct 28th, 2010
Great article Francois.
Avaxier
Oct 28th, 2010
I’ve listened and watched so much history of this heroine. It’s nice to learn of her early rise and view beautiful buildings of her real homelands here.
Thank you so much for sharing this!
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Michele Cameron Drew
Nov 15th, 2010
Beautiful, Francois… I do love your articles and the wonderful photographs that you adorn them with! =)
lillyrose
Nov 28th, 2010
Brave women, I enjoyed this little step back in time thanks sweetie x
Francois Hagnere
Jan 24th, 2011
Thank you all for your kind comments.
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neopisiva
May 28th, 2011
This is truly fascinating work regarding Joan of Arc.I am glad I can see her place of birth and the statue that was erected in her honour. Even if it`s just on the photos that I see it,it really is remarkable.
Thanks for sharing,Francois.