Saint-Sever

Geography

Saint-Sever is located at 17 km in the South of Mount-with-Marsan, on the edges of the Adour, at the borders of the agricultural area of the Chalosse. The landscape contrasts with the remainder of the Landes. The grounds remain parcelled out and undulating. Saint-Sever is built on a height which dominates the valley of the Adour.

The grounds of the commune are sprinkled by the Gabas, affluent of the Adour.

Communes bordering: Benquet, Bas-Mauco, Audignon, Cauna, Aurice, Montaut, Banos, Eyres-Moncube, Montsoué, Montgaillard.

History

a Roman military camp occupied the current site of the arenas of Morlanne, towards 56 av. J. - C. It is made state in several old documents of the presence in this " romanum" castrated; " Palestrion" , a residence of the Roman governor.

has 5th century, Severus is sent by the pope for évangéliser the area of Novempopulanie. It is martyrisé by the Vandales and, at the 8th century, the Bénédictins built a vault to collect the skin of the saint. The current monastery is founded by Guillaume Sanche, count of Gascogne, in the neighborhoods of 988. Following a fire, under the impulse of the Abbot Gregoire de Montaner, the Abbey one is rebuilt on the model of Cluny as from 1060. It is also under the abbatiat of Gregoire that the copyists work on the Beatus, manuscript transcribing the apocalypse of Saint Jean and enluminé at the 11th century (preserved today at the National library ms Lat 8878).
Source of an intense spiritual and religious life, the Abbaye develops its possessions until Soulac in Medoc and Pampelune, at the point to become one of most important South-west. It controls an important section of the Via Lemovicensis, and the pilgrims started from Vézelay towards Saint-Jacques-with-Compostelle take the practice to stop there in great number to venerate the relics of the saint there.

At the beginning of the 12th century, the Suavius Abbot grants a charter which constitutes the first steps of an urban statute, while preserving for the Abbot the upper hand on the city.

By the second marriage of Aliénor of Aquitaine in 1152, the city passes under suzerainty of the family Plantagenêt, therefore of King d' Angleterre.

At the 13th century, the inhabitants seek to free themselves from the supervision of the abbey. After a first revolt " communale" in 1208 and the establishment of bonds privileged between the English middle-class men and suzerain going until the transitory creation of a post of mayor in 1254, the authority of the monks is some extremely weakened. In 1270, the abbot Garcia Arnaud ends up calling in Paréage the King of England, which imposes the creation of a council of jurats. This slow political construction is accompanied by the installation of a " habit of Saint-Sever" , which will find its concretization by a royal approval in 1380. A copy of 1480 in Gascon is preserved at the files of the Moors (E57 manuscript). A copy of Latin chancellery is available in the Gascon roles of the public office records of London. This legal document presents a compilation of provisions of criminal law, private law and administration of the medieval city of Saint-Sever. It presents also the principles of a mechanism of collective solidarity against multiple risks, the " right of the voisin".

During the confrontation between the dynasties Plantagenêts and Capétiennes, Saint-Sever will be conquered after a 3 month old seat in 1295 for the account of Philippe Beautiful the by his brother Charles de Valois. But the marriage of the girl of Philippe the Beautiful one with Edouard II of England returns the city to English. The French make incursions in 1360 and 1380. Then in 1442, the King of France Charles VII definitively brings back the city in the French possessions.

In 1569, the Protestant troops of Montgomery destroy the city partially.

The tauromachic tradition

a legal document of 1457, preserved at the Public records (JJ189, n°VII xx X fol. 69 back), put at the day by Charles Samaran, Honorary Director of the Files of France, fact mention in Saint-Sever of a tradition taurine for the festivals of the Saint Jean Baptist, where one makes run of the bulls in each street. These ancestral plays taurins are one of the origins of the Course landaise.
With the XIX ° century, the spectacles taurins are fixed at the arenas of Morlanne.
From 1861, Saint-Sever discovers the bullfighting Spanish or of Provence with mixed spectacles lando-Spanish or provenco-landais.
In 1932, the current arenas of Morlanne are inaugurated. They are at the same time adapted to the races landaises and the bullfights, which allows alternating since then these spectacles.
on June 25th, 1972, " Bullfighters français" whose Nimeño I, Nimeño II and Simon Casas, express in track to claim the right of toréer as well as their Spanish colleagues. They make pass one of the bulls under a French flag.
Since? , the city organizes Encierro S.

The Gascon tradition

the city is in the zone of regional language of the Gascon. It maintains festivals traditional, accompanied by Gascon songs, like the " haille of Nadau" (the large fire of Christmas, during fire of the Jean Saint of summer).
In 1981, Saint-Sever accommodated the great festival of the Félibrige: the Holy Estelle.

The agricultural and culinary tradition

the agricultural activity ensures the essence of the economic life:

- The chicken landais yellow farmer raised in freedom, of Saint-Sever in particular, obteint the red first Label French in 1965.

- The Foie gras of fatty duck and all derivative products, great regional tradition.

- The ox of high Chalosse during three years with a food 100% natural.

- The corn remains dominating but the market gardenings diversify.

Two great demonstrations proceed in Saint-Sever, centered on the Cloister of the Jacobins:

- Festivolailles the last weekend of November or the first of December.

- The Festival of the foie gras on July 14th.

The tradition of Rugby

the Athletic Sport Saint-Severin, SASS, is founded in 1905 around the practice of Rugby.
the club is Champion of France of promotion in 1926.
the figureheads of the club are:

- Rene Crabos, which was one of the strategists of the back lines of the team of France and which was President of FR.

- International the Roger Brethes.

Administration

Demography

Economic life

Principal companies:

Castaing: foie gras and products of the soil (50 employment).
Champion: supermarket (200 employment)
Cazaubon: sleeping bags and feather beds (15 employment).
Delpeyrat: foie gras and products of the soil (75 employment).
Dubernet: foie gras and products of the soil (190 employment).
Dupuy & Wire (Ets): dealer and distributer of farm equipment (30 employment).
Farm Landais (Them): chickens and farm poultries (385 employment).
French of animal Nutrition, nutrition, health and of hygiene (110 employment)
Feugas: metallery (50 employment)
Intermarket: supermarket (70 employment)
Pyrenex: textile sleeping bags and feather beds, creations soon without seam (140 employment).
Transport Lafitte (50 employment)
Transport Lauqué (40 employment).
TFE: European refrigerating transport
Valdour (It): preserves of soft corn (30 000 tonnes/an), frozen vegetables (130 employment).

Places and monuments

Personalities related to the commune

Guy VIII of Laval, mortally wounded in 1295 at the time of a 3 month old seat of the city
the General Jean Maximilien Lamarque, born in Saint Sever (1770) and died with Paris (1832), close collaborator of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Paul Cadroy, lawyer, deputy and mayor of the commune, dead the November 23rd 1813
Jean-Marie Leon Dufour (1780 - 1865), doctor and entomologist.
Simon Durrieu (1775 - 1862), general, Par of France, deputy.
Albert Larrède, mayor of Saint-Sever of May 19th 1929 at February 5th 1941, President of the provisional Municipal Committee of August 21st 1944 at May 19th 1945
Jean-Marie Commenay (1924 - 1998), lawyer, Deputy of the Moors of 1958 with 1978, Mayor of Saint-Sever of 1965 with 1989;
Rene Crabos (1899 - 1964), player of Rugby to XV, born and died in Saint-Sever
Robert Carrère (1921 -), player of Rugby to XV, born in Saint-Sever
Frederic Fauthoux (1972 -), player and captain of the Dash Inhabitant of Béarn Pau-Orthez, born in Saint-Sever.

Events

employers' Festivals of Midsummer's Day (the last weekend of June): feria, Novillada, encierro, race landaise.
historical Reconstitution (around on August 15th): historical spectacle sound and lights with fireworks. Thousand years of history in Saint-Sever with the participation of 300 actors.
artisanal Exposure (around on August 15th): within the cloister of the Jacobins.
Festival of the district of Father (around on August 20th): Novillada.
Festival taurin (around on November 11th): Taurino-cultural week.
Festivolailles (at the end of November or at the beginning of December): Festive poultry exposure by the stockbreeders landais, gone medieval and of products of the soil, free tasting of products of the soil, menus with topic in the restaurants of the city.
Festival Severe Scenes organized each year by the collective " ox in Chalosse". For 2007, Barcelona in Vivo, best of the scene rock'n'roll Catalan woman.

Twinning

, because of the bonds of the way of Saint-Jacques-with-Compostelle.

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