La Tour François 1er, Saint-Gengoux-le-National, Saône-et-Loire (71)

This 17th century stone constructed tower retains its original height. It also retains its original name after the eponymous king who authorised the creation of such musketeer companies.

Lavoir, Saint-Gengoux-le-National, Saône-et-Loire (71)

Yeah, I know, but lavoir-spotting is a little like water tower-spotting, or windmill-spotting: but at least it beats trainspotting. This lavoir with impluvium dates from 1857, replacing a medieval well-with-lavoir which was in the middle of the street leading to the church.

Les Parapluies de Saint-Gengoux-le-National, Saône-et-Loire (71)

Maybe les parapluies de Saint-Gengoux are something to do with the outdoor art exhibition, certainly they'd have more place in Cherbourg, or, say, Honfleur, but they're a decorative feature.

Artwork in Saint-Gengoux-le-National, Saône-et-Loire (71)

A number of artists have brought their art to the streets of Saint-Gengoux-le-National in the form of banners, which are on display until the end of August. This is just an arbitrary selection of them.

Hervé Bourdin, from Fresnes.

M. Alysson Duarte Rodrigues, self-taught painter.

M. Alysson Duarte Rodrigues again.

Daniel Perez, photographer from Anglet.

Christian Lefevre, from Lisbon.

Christiane Delacroix, from Dijon.

Max Lanci, from Maule.

Nathalie Blanchet in Saint-Gengoux-le-national (71), Saône-et-Loire (71)

Nathalie Blanchet (1833-1923) was an aspiring young poet who was born, lived and died in this building. She came to the attention of Lamartine when she wrote to him, expressing her appreciation of his poetry and enclosing examples of his own. Lamartine was impressed, invited her to see him and became her friend.

Gengoulph: Saint Gengoux in Saint-Gengoux-le-National, Saône-et-Loire (71)

 

I happened to be reading about the relationship between the minor poet Nathalie Blanchet and Alphonse de Lamartine: she came from Saint-Gengoux-le-National (71), corresponded with and met Lamartine, and I wanted to know more. So I discovered a venerable article in Hommes et mondes, Vol. 11, No. 45 (April 1950), pp. 540-555, written by Albéric Cahuet about this relationship. In his introduction to his account, Cahuet speaks about the name of the town Nathalie came from. He does say that this is a 'légende ou histoire', but goes into some detail to explain 'Saint Gengoux': he was born in 720 and was a rich and generous man, although his wife was having an affair and wanted to be a widow. So her lover killed Gengoux in 760, after which she was killed by being thrown into boiling water and Genoux was canonised. Cahuet notes that Saint Gengoux is the patron saint of cuckolds.

However, Martin Raether's article online puts the record straight: there have through the ages been many different versions of this story, and of the fate of Gengoux's wife and lover. No one was canonised until 993, and the existence of Gengoux (who has many variations of this name and is called Gengoulph by Raether) is a complete fiction.