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Put on your kilt, it’s Bastille Day
Independent (11 July 1998)
“Have you seen Monsieur Gresset?” As I scuttled from sports field to castle gardens to town hall, the answer to my question changed with
each new venue, but the parting shot was always the same - “Il vient de partir”, you’ve just missed him. I was rapidly reaching the
conclusion that he’d forgotten all about me. It was 14 July, after all, and as vice president of Aubigny-sur-Nère’s Association des Fêtes
Franco-Ecossaises, he had rather a lot on his mind.
Situated midway between Orléans and Bourges, Aubigny is inordinately proud of its historical links with Scotland and the weekend of the
French national holiday is when they choose to commemorate them. They do it in style. I saw the celebrations commence with a lavish
son et lumière spectacle on the Saturday evening followed by a day of non-stop festivities in which the swirl of the kilt and the skirl of the
pipes played a prominent part.
The origins of this unusual celebration – inevitably - lie in a common disdain for the English. The
date 1419, the scenario a country rapidly disintegrating with the inexorable advance of the
English invaders. Until the Scots arrived. In their thousands they rallied to the Dauphin’s cry for
help, led, amongst others, by one John Stuart of Darnley. He didn’t live to see the relief of
Orléans and the crowning of King Charles at Rheims, but he played no small part in paving the
way. In recognition of his services to France he was awarded the seigneurie of the town and the
right to include the fleur-de-lis in his coat of arms.
At the turn of the century Aubigny Stuarts again rose to fame, this time through the exploits of
Bérault and his son-in-law Robert, heroes of the Italian campaigns. They were responsible for
building the renaissance style Château de La Verrerie nearby, and when a fire devastated the
town in 1512, it was Robert who provided the destitute townspeople with materials to rebuild
their homes. Most of these half-timbered houses still stand and in recent years many have been
restored, including the impressive Maison François Premier on the main street.
The Hundred Years War will be the theme of this year’s celebrations, but for my visit the tone
was altogether more sumptuous and refined. Intrigues and espionage, affairs of the heart,
aquatic jousting tournaments – these were the elements that made up the opening spectacle,
for this was the court of Louis XIV and the heroine for the evening was Duchess Louise de
Kéroualle. Although she wasn’t Scottish, her Stuart connections were impressive enough to
persuade Louis to accord her the seigneurie, which had lapsed with the death of Darnley’s last
descendant.
Mistress of Charles II, she had considerable influence over political affairs, much to the disgust
of the English Parliament. After Charles’ death they went out of their way to make life difficult for
her, and when James II fled to France she followed suit to take up residence in Aubigny and fulfil
her seigneurial duties.
Aubigny’s mayor, Yves Fromion, wrote the script and directed. “He’s the one who makes it all
happen,” said François Gresset when I finally tracked him down. “When he asks you to do
something, you can’t refuse. He’s the head - we’re just the legs.”
His own role is considerable. As a radio producer, he has access to first class technical facilities and expertise. Fromion’s text, recorded
by professional actors, was relayed through sophisticated sound equipment while local residents in period costume acted out the visuals.
It made for a spectacular performance ...
© Alison Thomas
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