The story of Doué
Until 10th century, Doué is mainly a stopping-off place of hunters and warriors. An immense forest extends over all the region facilitating at the same moment the hunting and the ambushes.
The " sea of Faluns " recover partially the West of France, leaving appeared Normandy and a part of Brittany. In the Miocene, successive withdrawals and immersions of the region create of numerous strata, visible in "Perrières".
These movements of the sea take with the trap marine animals. Their remainders are piled up with the silts, this is why one nowadays finds teeth of sharks and other fossils marine to 150 km of the sea. A skeleton of 20 meters long (Procarcharodon shark) found in Doué street "Croix de fer" is exposed To the national museum of natural history of Paris.
These movements of the sea take with the trap marine animals. Their remainders are piled up with the silts, this is why one nowadays finds teeth of sharks and other fossils marine to 150 km of the sea. A skeleton of 20 meters long (Procarcharodon shark) found in Doué street "Croix de fer" is exposed To the national museum of natural history of Paris.
But the basement is at the same time a tremendous place of hiding places, with cellars and troglodythes, thus making it possible the neighbouring populations to protect themselves from invasions of the Norman then from natives of Vendean ones during the French revolution. The city is in the crossing of the old Roman ways between Saumur, Angers, Montreuil, Gennes and progressively with the trade gradually will settle. Named "Vetus Doadum" in the Gallo-Roman period, one finds Doué under the name of "Castrum Doe" in 631.
Reconstruction of fountains and baptistry Saint Jean about year 700.
The Saint-Léger church (destroyed at the XVIIth century) replaces the baptistry towards 900. These two buildings with the Carolingian house are the oldest traces of outside construction found in Doué.
The centuries which follow are the place of Merovingian, Carolingian invasions, local wars and ecclesiastical quarrels. It slows down the rise of the city which begins really only between 10 and 11th century with the most productive period of stone sarcophaguses.
Doué is called "Doedus" in 1055 then "Docium" in 1177.
Doué city strengthened at the middle age, it stays no more traces of the fortifications today. Only witnesses of this period are the names of doors still attributed awarded to certain streets being located on the layout of the enclosure.
In 14 and 15th century, the wars, the famine and the diseases make many victims among the population. That does'nt prevent the construction of the amphitheatre and the first performances from being played it. In 16th century the careers contiguous to amphitheatre are fitted in " park of games ". Doué is called "Douetum".
The beginning of the 17th century sees the construction of Récollets and it is in 1698 when a writing of the King grants to Doué coats of arms: " of mouths in D of silver, in the flower of lily also in abyss ". The business and the industry take importance thanks to a middle-class person's important presence. Mills, tanneries and all the professions living on the business of the cattle are mentioned in number until 18th century.
Reconstruction of the market hall such as he could be in 1700 (the structure of the market is partially reconstituted near amphitheatre "arènes" today).
The building on the right is the town hall today
The building on the right is the town hall today
At this time the Baron Foullon, being in the narrow ancient castle of Doué, makes build an important building outside of the town.
There are today only stables (strikingly restored) and a part of the foundations of the enclosing wall. Foullon just has time to communicate his passion of the roses with douessins because the revolution begins and he's one of the first victims. At the end of this century it's the creation of fountains and "champ de foire".
Joseph-françois Foullon was born in Saumur on June 25th, 1715. Adviser of the King, Baron de Doué, he becomes the big benefactor and transforms the city. Its position close to the King and its fortune are worth to him the hatred of the people, he is murdered in Paris on July 22nd, 1789.
During the 19th century, the development of the culture and the production of rosebushes become intensified. The railroad is inaugurated in 1896 and Doué is one of the first towns of province to be electrified with an autonomous power station. Year 1893 is important because it is in this date when the name of Doué la Fontaine is official.
