Once upon a time… Saint Just-en-Chevalet…
Name…
It has not been possible to establish with certainty the meaning of “Chevalet”. There are a number of theories:
- From the Latin “cavatus” : undulating, hilly, relating to the landscape in the area (some hamlets in the area are named for the same reason e.g. Chavallard, Chanet, Chabanne, Chavassieux…) ;
- Village with a “relais de chevaux” (stabling for horses) since it is situated on a crossroads of roman roads ;
- Because of the shape of the first dwellings in the area…
- From “chevalier“(knight) because of the fortified castles around the region, occupied by knights.
Coat of Arms…
On the right : a rampant black horse (without harness) on a field of yellow over green.
Origins…
For as long as records have been kept, St Just en Chevalet has been the principal town of the Pays d’Urfé region.
Before it was called St Just en Chevalet, only the old chateau quarter existed, formed around the public fountain, the “fontaine de la Conche” (from the latin “concha” – pool, basin). It was situated at the junction of two ancient Roman roads, which have, today, become main departmental routes.
Over the course of time…
In the 9th century, in this initial part of the village, it is thought that a chapel was dedicated to St Just, a bishop of Lyon, which formed a parish.<<
Until the 13th century two groups of houses existed, one inside and one outside the fortifications. The boundary between the two became the rue d’Urfé.
A hospital in the château quarter, since the 13th century, was destroyed during the French Wars of Religion (1562 - 1598). It wasn’t until 1826 that a hospice was built in the village. It was given a royal warrant by Charles X a year later. This lasted for about a century until a new building was established in 1933, and run initially by nuns. Over time the building expanded and management switched to lay people until its demolition and replacement by the current “Maison de Retraite” (Retirement home) in 1981.
The chapel of Notre-Dame du Château was built in the 14th century by Louis II of Bourbon and Anne Dauphin, his wife. St Just now had two churches. Two significant events took place at the chapel, the consecration of Monseigneur D’Albon in 1564 who was a refugee from the plague in Lyon and the funeral of Anne D’Urfé, owner of the Château of the Cornes D’Urfé, in 1621.
In 1766, because of the decline of the Urfé family, the château, it’s lands and the chapel were bought by the Marquis de Simiane, who demolished the château and built the current building.
In turn Antoine de Meaux became the owner in 1781. During the Revolution the chapel was turned in to a voting room despite the consequences for de Meaux who was guillotined at Feurs for defending it.
In 1794 Romain Perret, a private citizen (not of a noble family) bought the château, improved it and opened it to the public. In 1840 he kindly passed it to the ownership of the village with the following declaration.
“I withdraw my rights to the chapel of Notre-Dame at the Chateau, in the commune of St-Just-en Chevalet, in favour of the village. It can be used for any purpose without let or hindrance on the condition, nonetheless that it continues to be use for worship.”
Declaration made 2nd February 1840 – signed PERRET.
Stories of St Just en Chevalet…
Making electricity One of the first hydroelectric schemes in France was built at the Gour-Saillant on the River Aix in the commune. It was the instigation of the Baron de Rochetaillée owner of the Chateau de Contenson on the edge of the village. Early in the 20th century a generator was installed in a water mill and sawmill that had stood on the site for centuries. St Just benefited from this new technology at the same time as large cities.
The origin of taboulé Master Boyssonet, a squire-farmer from the hamlet of Tabouillet, close to St Just en Chevalet followed his master, Count Raoul, Lord of Urfé and the former abbey of St Thibault in St Just, to the first Crusade (1097-1098). At the time of the attack on Antioch famine set in and scattering many Crusaders in the search for food. Squire Boyssonet foraged in the town, disguised, and discovered KISIR, a local dish, made up of semolina of corn, tomatoes, onions, oil, lemon, mint, parsley. He took some back to the Crusaders who, refreshed, were able press their attack. KISIR was renamed TABOULE, in tribute to the squire of Tabouillet, saviour of the Crusaders. So the dish became known around the Mediterranean. Today Lebanese restaurateurs promote the dish as “the invention of a French Crusader”.
20th Century...
St Just became a rural backwater, situated at 650m above sea level between the Monts de La Madeleine, the Bois Noirs and the Haut Forez on the border between the Bourbonnais and the Auvergne.
In the Second World War it was situated in Vichy France and certain local families became instrumental in hiding a large number of Jewish people, preventing them from being deported to Nazi death camps. This clandestine contribution was recently recognised by the French Jewish community which awarded “Homage aux villages de France” status to St Just en Chevalet . A plaque on the town hall commemorates this ceremony and the bravery of the people of St Just en Chevalet and it's surroundings.
Short news item from TF1 28 June 2008 (in French)