History

 

 

St Jean-Baptiste church
(XVth century)

 

 

 
St Jean-Baptiste church
(XIXth century)

 

 

 

the Roman Gaul

The Lot valley was situated between the Gallic countries of Rutènes and Gabales, making a frontier zone. In the middle of first century, the construction of the Roman road, which cross the Lot River at St Côme, allowed development of the Gallic properties(villas or farms), especially on the right bank. There are all the names with -ac: Alayrac, Flaujac, Lévinhac, etc....

the Roman Road

the Peutinger's map

The Roman road, on this map, linked Segodunum (Rodez) to Anderitum (Javols). It crossed the Lot valley from Biounac, watched over with a fort situated on the Puech of Castres, went down to the St Côme's ford and went up toward an inn named "Ad Silanum". Distances borne on the map allow supposing that inn originally was of St Chély d'Aubrac's foundation.

the "Puech" (summit) of Castres
a way near the hill

A gallic fortress

West of the Roman road is arounded hill with a magnificent panoramic view on the valley. It was named " puech of Castres" (from latin "castrum": fortified camp ) because a gallic fortress to watch was on its summit.
the gate of the fortress
This age had seen development of ceramic arts and crafts, probably in contact with " la Graufesenque" (Gallic ceramic site in Millau). The rarity of Gallic relics don't permit to have a good idea from history of the valley in the first centuries after J.C, apart from comparison with general History
the Perse Monastery

The probable coming of a hermit nicknamed Hilarian and his martyrdom in IVth century gave birth to the little pre-Romanesque monastery of Perse on place of his life. The legend of a " cephalosporin" (who carries his head in his hands) saint, created by Conques to promote a religious edifice situated on the Compostelle route, had completely confused the image of that little rural monastery.

the Calmont's Lords

In context of Carolingian administrative reform in IXth century, the Rouergue's count sent, on the northern frontier of his county, the lord of Calmont, an officer with functions of police and justice.

He settled in the valley building his castle on the Calmont pike and throwing a bridge with 5 arches on the Lot River to divert the road and trading traffic near his castle. This bridge was quickly equipped with a tollgate.

The construction of a bridge also aimed to attract inhabitants of Perse town near castle and create Calmont village. In 883 a Conques charter mentioned a "ministerium calvomontense" (religious charge) which depended on Perse's parish. This situation no doubt created conflicts for power between Camont's lords and Perse's abbots. In Xth century, the beginning of pilgrimage to Compostelle worsened these conflicts and the monastery is totally ruined when Conques abbey received it for donation.

Espalion's coat of arms
To equip it with historical arms, Espalion must put on its coat of arms: a bridge, Calmont's arms and a Templar symbol. The modern arms of the town, created in XIXth century by Henri Affre, named "eloquent" arms, are based on a cranky parallel: "espalion=épée-lion" (sword-lion). Historically, the only legitimated arms of town were the Calmont's lord's arms.
Henri Affre
"eloquent" arms

Calmont: " white badge with a black lion "

arms created by author according to the historic fundation of the town

the Compostelle Route
The Espalion's valley is on the Compostelle route named " Via Podensis " which begin to Le Puy-en-Velay and, by Aubrac, Conques and Moissac, joins to Ostabat the Tours's and Vezelay's routs to continue in Spain like the "camino françès". In last centuries, pilgrims who started from Le Puy wanted to cross the Margeride and Aubrac massifs, where many of them, lost in fog and snow, died of exposure or of attack of wolves, before reaching the Lot valley. They reached the valley to St Côme where they could cross the river with a ford before making for Perse's town.
Aubrac monastery
St James
(Vaylet museum. Espalion)
Bonneval abbey

In XIIth century, the got better with the foundation of the Aubrac's hospital, a monastery of which monastic knights gave security to ways, and the foundation of Bonneval's Cistercian abbey which created a secondary way by St Chély d'Aubrac and La Bastide d'Aubrac.

Chapel of La Bouïsse
(St Côme d' Olt)
In Aubrac's monastery, the " bell of lost pilgrims" rang during several hours to call lost people in foggy weather.
Perse's church
(Espalion)
the Builders Age
Templar chapel
(Vaylet museum)
Rebuilding of Perse's monastery in the end of XIth and beginning of XIIth centuries opened an economic expansive period leaned on holy orders. In 1120 the foundation of Aubrac's hospital was followed to the installation of a Templar Order chapel in Espalion and the building of the Bonneval abbey in the gorges of a " boralde" (torrent).
Aubrac's hospital
(picture of Bichebois- 1833)
In 1266 was made out a document which is the most ancient charter in the town archives:
the "Charter of the Frankness of the Commune"
This charter defined relationships between lords and inhabitants in Espalion as well as the boundaries of the area of application. The charter was signed in the chapel of Templar Order which probably took the initiative for it and also paid its cost. The charter neither concern Perse's old town nor Calmont's village. In 1349 Perse and Calmont were nearly three times more populated than Espalion (226 families in relation to 86). At this time, St Côme d'Olt had 300 families and Le Cambon 200. Espalion really was a new town.
the Fortified Town
Michou tower

The war of One Hundred Years forced inhabitants to surround the town with walls. The town take form of a four-sided area and got organised around 3 mains streets: the Droite, Méjane (central) and Plô's streets. In t he walls were made 2 fortified doors: the St Georges's door at the beginning of the Droite street, with a " barbacane" (small fort), and the bridge door. There was probably a little door for access to the fair area.

fortifications of the bridge (XVIIth)
These fortifications were insufficient against English soldiers and, after the Brétigny's treaty which got the Rouergue under English power, hired soldiers who sacked the country. In1367 Espalion obtained from Calmont's lord permission to levy a tax with the intention to repair and extend fortifications, in particular all along the bridge. It was probably the time when were built towers of which the Michou tower is the only vestige.
The St Georges's tower was above the door at the entrance of the Droite Street.
the Religious Wars

The Protestant religion appeared in Espalion in 1561, February, with a preacher called Blaise Malet. A year of agitation after, situation went back to normal, but the civil war quickly spread forcing consuls to engage a guard captain, Bernardin de la Valette, to organize the safety of the town.

(Vaylet museum- Espalion)
In 1568, October 6, the town was attacked by Protestants who first burned down the St Sauveur chapel. The first attack against the town was stopped, but the next day assailants, more numerous and better armed, grabed the town, destroying the St Georges's door, and set fire to church.
In 1588 new dangers forced to remove the last arch of the bridge, near the suburb, to replace it with a drawbridge.
The XVth century was outstanding in 1643 by the revolt of the Croquants (poor people) for a sudden worsening of taxes. Espalion was attacked and pillages in september.
The second event was the plague which raged in 1653-1654. In face of the extent of the epidemic, the town was deserted by inhabitants. In 1654, February, the regiment of Périgord came to take its winter quarters in the valley and only found 2 consuls and about ten persons in the town. . During this plague, the town was put on the St Joseph's protection.
the Metamorphosis
From 1700, the bridge was modified with destruction of the whole parts to be in the way: the doors, towers and stalls as well as the drawbridge in 1724. After the French Revolution the town began a real metamorphosis in XIXth century when Espalion became a sub-prefecture. At this time Espalion around had 1800 inhabitants.
The year 1838 saw the birth of the "Bulletin d'Espalion", the oldest local newspaper in Aveyron, as well as the starting work on the first prison with cells in the department, which was unveiled in 1844.
In 1841 a new bridge built on the Lot River of which the first stone was put in May 8. The construction of the boulevard required to make an embankment to shelter it from swellings. This embankment was made with 2 underground passages in St Antoine and Grenade Streets. The bridge was put into circulation in 1846.

In 1849 the houses along the Lot River between the 2 bridges were demolished to replace them with an embankment, while in 1850 was built a new law courts on St Georges's place.

In 1879, on the canon Brévier's impulse, the town began the construction of a new parish church which was in service in 1883. Before a project to make a covered hall in place of the old church, it was decided to convert this latter in the new town hall. The works began in 1887 and ten years after the town offices were installed in their new premises. The town hall stayed in this building until 1950 when it moved again to install it in its present premises put at its disposal by the law courts.
To be complete, we also had to mention the building of the new schools: St Hilarian's school, on the riverside, ended in 1893 and the Immaculée Conception's school in 1895, as well as the new hospital in 1907 and the railway and its station unveiled in 1908, June 25.