Maillezais abbey and the wild boar legend
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Once upon a time an abbey, in middle of the lovely Marais Poitevin… Maillezais!
At the time of its splendour, it was the most prosperous one in Vendée area. Maillezais abbey was born on the location of the old castle belonging to counts of Poitou.
The legend says it was founded because of a big wild boar hunting by count Guillaume II.
Convinced that he was hunting the Devil, he finally drove the creature back against a lonely chapel in the woods and killed it.
After that, our lord swore he would raise a monastery at this exact place, to commemorate the feat...
Another more tangible legend says Emma, count Guillame IV’s wife (a count nicknamed Fier-à-bras, “Braggart”) discovered a ruined chapel during a hunt in the woods; then she asked bishop Gauzbert from Tours the permission to build here a monastery. This story took place at the end of the 10th c...
Hey, but we already know Emma! Do you remember? We met her in the castle of Chinon! A naughty young thing who didn’t hesitate and tortured Aldéarde of Thouars, her husband's mistress, the Braggart…