Page 32 - Guide Patrimoine - Terre de Provence

MAILLANE
30
MONUMENTS
PARISH CHURCH SAINT AGATHA
The parish church, originally Romanesque (13th century), was dedicated to Our Lady of Bethlehem. It was replaced by Saint Agatha, the patron saint of the village.
The white marble altarpiece illustrates the episode known as «the pilgrimage to Emmaus» recounted in the Gospel of
Saint Luke: the resurrected Christ meets two pilgrims who are despairing about his death and eeing Jerusalem. They offer him hospitality without knowing who he is. It is during the meal, when he takes the bread and gives it to them, that they recognize him. It is this last scene that is represented here. The Notre-Dame chapel also houses a black walnut wood statue of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce from the 14th century. Invoked against cholera in 1854, she
is celebrated by an annual procession on August 28th and 29th, in memory of the miracle she performed then.
The Provencal plaque located on the church square reads:
« Dins aquesto glèiso es esta bateja Frederi Mistral e lou
bèu jour de l’Anounciado, sa cloche, la Daiano, a souna pèr ensèn l’angelus e lou clar dóu pouèto inmourtau. » «Frédéric Mistral was baptized in this church, and on the beautiful
day of the Annunciation, his bell, La Daillane, rang to teach the Angelus and the bell of the immortal poet.»
LE MAS DU JUGE
Everything in the village evokes the memory of the great Provençal poet Frédéric Mistral. It is in Maillane that the Mas du Juge, where he was born in 1830, is located. This 18th-century building, which entered the Mistral
family in 1803, will forever mark the poet’s soul. He spent 25 years of his life there and found inspiration for «Mirèio,» which he began to write within these walls. From Mistral’s time and despite the years, the mas has preserved the dining room almost as
it was. Recently, the Mas du Juge has become a venue
for temporary exhibitions, seminars, and receptions. The room and museum are open for visits by appointment and outside of public holidays.
THE LIZARD HOUSE
Listed as a Historical Monument, Lizard House was built in the 17th century and was the residence of Frédéric Mistral and his mother from 1855 (after the death of his father) until he married in 1876.
In 1903, Mistral had the following inscription placed on the house: «Gai lezert, bèu toun soleil l’ouro passo que trop lèu e deman plóura bèu.» «Cheerful lizard, enjoy your sun, time passes too quickly and tomorrow it may rain.»
In 1957, Jeanne de Flandreysy bought Lizard House and donated it to the town hall of Maillane.
On the west side of the facade, there is a plaque placed by the Jeanne de Flandreysy Association in memory of Frédéric Mistral and his mother.
Today, it serves as the municipal library, Game library the Tourist Information Of ce, and the Mistralian research center. Admission
is free.
TOMB OF FREDERIC MISTRAL
Frédéric Mistral had his tomb built in 1907, before his death in 1914: it is a very faithful replica of the Pavillon de la Reine Jeanne in Baux-de-Provence, which is a reinterpretation
of the Greek tholos (a small temple with a circular plan). The small hexagonal building
is in the Renaissance style,
with six uted columns topped by composite order capitals that combine the Ionic and Corinthian orders. The keystone of the main opening bears in bas-relief the seven-pointed star of the Félibrige. Those
of the other bays represent a Mireille, an Arlésienne, and
her two dogs (Pan Panet and Pan Perdu). Above the altar
is engraved the inscription: «Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo et Provinciae nostrae da gloriam!» («Not
to us, Lord, but to your name and our Provence, give glory»). Beneath the inscription is Mistral’s coat of arms and motto «Lou soulèu me fai canta» («The sun makes me sing»). Frédéric Mistral wrote the poem «Moun Tombèu» that closes the book «Lis Oulivado».
On the bell that tolled to announce his death are engraved his last verses. It was while admiring the work of the sculptor in the church of Maillane that Mistral caught a cold and died.
COMMUNAL MILL
Built in 1627 on the Loube, north of the village, it provided our to the village. It passed through several successive owners before returning to the municipality at the end of the 19th century. It operated until the middle
of the century, but only four days a week. On other days, the water was reserved for garden irrigation. After the death of the last tenants in 1985, the mill was destroyed by decision of the municipal council. Today, only the water wheel remains in good condition.
FRÉDÉRIC MISTRAL MUSEUM - CLOSED FOR RENOVATION IN 2023
It is in Maillane where the poet Frédéric Mistral (1830- 1914) lived and composed all his works, crowned in 1904 with the Nobel Prize
in Literature, and creator
of the Félibrige. The house where he lived from 1876
until his death on March
25, 1914, has retained its authentic appearance from Mistral’s time thanks to the restoration work carried out by the Historic Monuments department from 1992 to 1995. Indeed, after Madame Mistral’s death in 1943, the house became a museum in 1944. Visitors can discover all the souvenirs and works of art offered to the poet throughout his life (objects, books, photos, etc.), thus preserving the atmosphere that Mistral was able to create in his house, which he bequeathed to the municipality in 1907. The building has been classi ed as a Historic Monument since November 10, 1930. Guided tours and commentary are available.
CIRCUIT
MISTRAL PÈR DRAIO
ET PÈR CAMIN
Originally from the village, Sophie Vulpian is the great- granddaughter of the poet Frédéric Mistral and currently lives in the house where he lived. She guides visitors through this historic place as well as the village of Maillane. Visits are by appointment only.
VILLAGE DISCOVERY TOUR: «DISCOVER THE VILLAGE» This tour invites you to explore the architectural heritage and history of the village. The guide is available at the Maillane Tourist Information Of ce and at the Frédéric Mistral Museum.