Cholet description and photos - France: Loire Valley (Topic)

Cholet description and photos - France: Loire Valley. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The title in English is Cholet.

Photo and description

The city of Cholet is located in the western part of France, in the Pays de la Loire region. It was founded in the XI century, although the first settlements appeared here in the Neolithic era. The name of the city, given to it during the Roman Empire, is interesting. From the Latin language, the word "cholet" is translated as "cabbage".

The city acquired its important economic significance only in the 17th-18th centuries, when wool production began to rapidly develop here. With the outbreak of the French Revolution, the historic Vendee region, of which Cholet was part, became the center of the counter-revolutionary movement, which was finally defeated after the Battle of Cholet in 1793. Now the city is a large trade center specializing in the textile industry and agriculture. Also here is one of the routes of the famous bicycle race Tour de France.

There are about a dozen religious buildings in Cholet - small chapels, large churches and other buildings that were previously part of monasteries. Almost all of them were built in the middle of the 19th century or later, in the 20th century. Especially worth noting are two neo-Gothic churches - St. Peter and the Blessed Virgin Mary (Notre Dame) and the monumental church of the Sacred Heart (Sacre Coeur), made in a pseudo-Byzantine style. It is famous for its bell tower, which consists of 39 bells.

The most ancient attraction of Cholet is the stone tower Grenier-ha-sel, which previously housed the city barn. This powerful structure was built in the 16th century. Other buildings were mainly constructed in the middle of the 19th century. Among them are the old neoclassical municipal theater and the splendid palace of justice. The city's textile museum is also of interest.

It should be noted that in Cholet there are many elegant old gardens and parks, where various preserved megaliths and ancient ruins are presented.

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Topic: Cholet description and photos - France: Loire Valley.