Le Carillon Vendôme
Notre-Dame de Cléry.
Now here’s a strange thing. Many folk who were born, grew up or live in Vendôme have never heard of Le Carillon de Vendôme the oldest (1420) known French children’s song.
After the signing of the Treaty of Troyes during the Hundred Years' War, the Dauphin (Charles VII) was disinherited by his parents in favour of Henry V of England.
However, he did own lands south of the Loire which included Vendôme, Orléans, Beaugency and Cléry. To show their loyalty, the towns came up with a Carillon.
Mes amis, que reste-t-il ?
À ce Dauphin si gentil ?
Orléans, Beaugency,
Notre-Dame de Cléry,
Vendôme, Vendôme !
My friends, what is left,
to the Dauphin, so kind?
Orléans, Beaugency,
Notre-Dame de Cléry,
Vendôme, Vendôme!
Saint-Firmin Bell Tower, Beaugency.
Guide books say in Vendôme the Carillon is played at 7, 8 and 9pm before the strokes of Saint-Martin’s clock. In Beaugency, from Saint-Firmin Bell Tower at 8:10 a.m., 12:10 p.m. and 7:10 p.m. In Cléry-Saint-André, the Carillon is played morning, noon and evening by the bells of Notre-Dame de Cléry. Sadly, it is no longer played in Orléans.
* Carillon. A set of fixed chromatically tuned bells sounded by hammers controlled from a keyboard or automatic device.
Post by Pamela (BA History of Art), Photography by Mark.
PhotographFrance.com
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