A "florissant" village in Vendée

From agriculture to baroque music, a century of adventure in a Vendée village...through the photo archives of its inhabitants!

The fountain: the emblem of Thiré

The neoclassical fountain of Thiré has been restored many times over the years, but the origin of its construction remains unknown.

The fountain is located next to a washhouse and a bridge, first mentioned in a tender document dating from 1979.

GAULAU01, From the collection of: Les Arts Florissants
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Fountain of Thiré, 1960, 1960, From the collection of: Les Arts Florissants
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Women at work in the Thiré washroom (picture on the left)

The fountain was once a public fountain, allowing farmers and residents to come and get large volumes of water, which also accentuated the emblematic character of the monument (picture on the right)

1JOCJAC22Les Arts Florissants

Thiré's church

The Church, the anchor of spiritual and daily life

Postcard depicting the South view of the church of Thiré.

SORAND22Les Arts Florissants

The parish priest was surrounded by the two preachers who had come for the Catholic mission.

Altarpiece Nave and Choir, candlelight concertLes Arts Florissants

Altarpiece Nave and Chorus

Interior view of the church (built in the 8th century). The pulpit is now gone.

Church, the porch (2020)Les Arts Florissants

Musicians take advantage of the acoustics offered by the architecture of the porch of the church of Thiré.

Altarpiece Nave and Choir (2021)Les Arts Florissants

Candlelight concert in the church of Thiré, during the Summer Festival Dans les Jardins de William Christie with Paul Agnew (co-director of Les Arts Florissants and tenor)

Events, weddings (1950)Les Arts Florissants

Celebrations in the village

Thiré, a dynamic and musical village

According to local tradition, a musician leads the couple to church.

Events, weddings (1995)Les Arts Florissants

Some bride and groom are led by an accordionist to the town hall.

Events, weddings (1950)Les Arts Florissants

Wedding photography with many details, offering a valuable testimony to the fashion and spirit of the celebration.

Events, missions (1930)Les Arts Florissants

Missions

A mission in Christianity is the proclamation of the Gospel, the formation of disciples, and the baptism of believers. It is based on the Great Mission given by Jesus in the New Testament

Events, missions (1948)Les Arts Florissants

Men observe the building of Calvary during a parish mission.

Events, missions (1949)Les Arts Florissants

The Calvary was erected by the craftsman who made the cross in concrete imitating wood.

"Partenope" by Handel - 2021 Festival Dans les Jardins de William Christie (2021) by Les Arts Florissants and Julien GazeauLes Arts Florissants

Festival

Concert on the Mirror of Water during the festival "Dans les Jardins de William Christie"

Events, festival 2017 (2017)Les Arts Florissants

Concert on the terrace of William Christie

Touring dance with the dancer/choreographer Pierre-François Dollé, during the festival "Dans les Jardins de William Christie"

ballroom, 1920 (1920)Les Arts Florissants

The Quartier des Artistes

Tobacco office in the current Rue de la Fontaine in Thiré. The former sawmill is now being transformed into a ballroom

ballroom, 2021, 2021, From the collection of: Les Arts Florissants
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ballroom, 2022, 2022, From the collection of: Les Arts Florissants
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The ballroom before the renovation works (left image)


Sketch of the project to create a ballroom, from the existing building of the old sawmill (right image)

InTerra Pax, 1978 (1978)Les Arts Florissants

IN TERRA PAX

Mme Charrier, a young girl, posing next to a young cedar that is now about ten metres tall

In Terra Pax 2022 (2022)Les Arts Florissants

In terra pax 2022

In Terra Pax house completed in August 2022, just before the opening of the 11th edition of the Festival "Dans les Jardins de William Christie"

nature and rurality, 1997 (1997)Les Arts Florissants

Nature and Rurality

Thiré: a village with a distinct rural identity, in the heart of nature.

View of Thiré from the fields in bloom.

nature and rurality, 1979 (1979)Les Arts Florissants

Mr. Sorin takes his heifers out to the meadow, accompanied by his son.

town hall square, 1900 (1900)Les Arts Florissants

The Town Hall

Place de la mairie, formerly Place des Ouches. An owl is a feeding space, cultivated for vegetables or fruit trees. Beneath the trees, people are at work, using a long saw to cut wood

town hall square, 2003 (2003)Les Arts Florissants

The current Place de la Mairie, where a Monument to the Dead was erected following the First World War. The municipal gardener takes care of the roses.

A gatheringLes Arts Florissants

Gathering of several people in front of the town hall and the school house of Thiré

The building, 1985 (1985)Les Arts Florissants

The Building

General view of the building before its restoration, today the main home of William Christie, founder and musical director of the Arts Florissants.

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The building, 1970, 1970, From the collection of: Les Arts Florissants
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The building, 2017, 1970, From the collection of: Les Arts Florissants
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A toddler sits at the entrance door of the Building (picture on the left)


A man looks out of one of the windows of the Building (picture on the right)

The building, 1971 (2017)Les Arts Florissants

Today, the building has been restored and is surrounded by gardens recognized as “Remarkable Gardens” and inscribed in the inventory of Historical Monuments.

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