Description of the attraction
Cholet is located in the western part of France, in the Loire region. It was founded in the XI century, although the first settlements appeared here in the Neolithic era. The name of the city, given to it during the Roman Empire, is interesting. From the Latin language, the word "cholet" is translated as "cabbage".
The city acquired its economic importance only in the 17th-18th centuries, when the production of wool began to rapidly develop here. With the outbreak of the French Revolution, the historic Vendée region, of which Cholet was a part, became the center of the counter-revolutionary movement, which was finally defeated after the Battle of Cholet in 1793. Now the city is a large trade center specializing in the textile industry and agriculture. It also hosts one of the routes of the famous Tour de France cycling race.
There are about a dozen religious buildings in Cholet - small chapels, large churches and other buildings that were previously part of monasteries. Almost all of them were built in the middle of the 19th century or later, in the 20th century. Especially worth noting are two neo-Gothic churches - St. Peter and the Blessed Virgin Mary (Notre Dame) and the monumental church of the Sacred Heart (Sacre Coeur), made in a pseudo-Byzantine style. It is famous for its 39 bell tower.
The most ancient attraction of Cholet is the stone tower of Grenier-a-sel, which previously housed the city barn. This powerful structure was built in the 16th century. Other buildings were mainly constructed in the middle of the 19th century. Among them are the old neoclassical municipal theater and the splendid palace of justice. The city's textile museum is also of interest.
It is worth noting that in Cholet there are many elegant old gardens and parks, where various preserved megaliths and ancient ruins are presented.
