a look back at the magpie fair, a living heritage of the Pays de Retz

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“The monks have disappeared. The fair remained. Certainly, it no longer has the economic importance it once did, but the inhabitants of the entire country of Retz care about it, because it is deeply rooted in our land,” wrote the historian Émile Boutin, in his work Chronicles of a small province Le Pays de Retzpublished in 1997.

From 2,000 to 3,000 people

Almost thirty years later, this is still true. Every November 23, the magpie fair, which takes place in Rouans (Loire-Atlantique) is always an unmissable event in the country of Retz, which attracts between 2,000 and 3,000 people for a morning. This was the case Saturday November 23, 2024.

“It takes us back to another era”

From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., the event brings together around a hundred stands, trades, know-how, and a few more animals. We sometimes come from far away, we meet around the stalls, we taste the local products: it's like a tradition. The most faithful don't miss a single one.

We smell the andouille, we taste the rillauds, we drink mulled wine, we meet up with friends, we share the news and above all, we enjoy this timeless time, this “rural folklore which takes us back to another era,” translates a resident of the town.

» Livestock market, particularly those from the abbey »

Because the magpie fair has spanned the centuries. It draws its sources from the Middle Ages. Originally, it was used to sell part of the agricultural production of the nearby Buzay Abbey, of which only the bell tower remains (the Buzay Tower).

“The Cistercians of Buzay, after having succeeded in creating beautiful meadows on the old marshes, specialized in breeding, particularly horses. In the Middle Ages, they were the ones who created the Launay fair, in this village not far from the walls of the abbey. Fair of agricultural products essentially which favored the livestock market, in particular those of the abbey,” assures Dominique Pierrelé, honorary president of the Society of Historians of the Pays de Retz.

A fair that comes back to life in the 20th century

The Pornic historian is a specialist in Buzay Abbey. For him, the Magpie Fair is “a testimony to the inspiring role that monks were able to play in local society, on an economic and social level, both in the Middle Ages and in the 18th century.^e century when the abbey became rich and powerful. This fair is part of our heritage. “.

But be careful, if the magpie fair dates from the Middle Ages, it may have been resurrected from the 20th century^e century.

There are many living traces in the Middle Ages, but from the 16th to the 19th centuries, did they still exist? Not sure. In my opinion, it resurfaced in folklore in the 20th century, due to heritage interest. »

Where does the name come from?

Even the name “magpie fair”, which recalls the white and black of the Cistercian outfit “very present in memories”, would have been given a posteriori. For the date of November 23, the historian does not think that the choice was made based on Saint Clement. “It was more about liquidating the herds a month before winter. And then, it’s the time of new wine. The reserves had to be replenished. This date may be linked to all that. »

Behind this fair, the history of the abbey

Whatever the case, for Dominique Pierrelé, this does not detract from the importance of the existence of this fair, which remains a showcase for an entire historical section of the country of Retz. “The Cistercians, like those of Buzay, are based on a monastic rule which favors manual work and the layout of spaces,” says the historian. The site of Buzay is a good example, because during the founding of the abbey in the middle of the 12th^e century (1135), what we call the island of Buzay is a sort of swamp, surrounded by the waters of the Loire and those of Tenu through which the Grand Lieu lake flows. »

The monks began the development of their property by cleaning up the marshes of Buzay and Saint-Étienne de Montluc, on the other side of the Loire. “They also created a rural estate by creating, here and there, “barns”, agricultural operations located on the outskirts. Their agricultural domain extended to the east of the monastery, towards the village of Angle and Launay. Buzon was one of these barns. »

An economic and social role

At all times, until the Revolution, “the monks of Buzay were concerned with developing the local rural economy by organizing the exploitation of the surrounding land. They sometimes behaved like real owners who straddled their land rights. But the Buzay sector has undoubtedly benefited from the wealth of the abbey and its economic power. It employed many local artisans in the 18th century.^e century, when all the buildings were rebuilt. »

On a social level, “she supervised the peasant population and received many underprivileged people who came to Buzay to seek alms. When drawing up the list of grievances, the people of Rouans insisted that no harm be done to the abbey, because it played a considerable role in the country of Rouans. »

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