This church is quite recent (19th century) because it was built following the destruction of the village parish during the Revolution. However, its architecture is worthy of interest when passing through the charming town of Braud-et-Saint-Louis.
The Saint-Saturnin Church was built in 1898 after the destruction of the previous parish during the French Revolution. Near the church stands the Colonne des Naufragés, this monument is an ex-voto of Nordic sailors who survived a shipwreck at the start of the 17th century. fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braud-et-Saint-Louis#%C3%89glise_Saint_Saturnin
Sanctus Saturninus de Brau is the name found in the 14th century.
Braud would be an abbreviation of Beraud, Saintonge form of the Germanic name Beroald, which means Old Lord. Based on the form "Embrand" which formerly would have designated this locality.
Several possible etymologies of Braud
The name Braud could also come from the Gascon Braou which means Bull, a sign that this form of cattle was raised in the swamps.
Commune formed from the union of two former parishes: Braud, from old French "Brai", mud, marshy place and St Louis, parish founded by the Duke of St Simon in 1656 and included in the commune of Braud in 1802.
Origin of the name of the municipality of Braud and Saint Louis
Braud would come from beraud, Saintonge form of the Germanic name berard, old lord" or from the Gascon braou, "bull", a sign that these cattle were raised in the swamps or even from the old French brai, "mud", "swampy place".
The parish of Braud is cited under the name of Sanctus Saturninus (Saint Saturnin) of Braud.
The drying out of the marshes, in the 17th century, on the initiative of the Duke Claude de Saint Simon, governor of Blaye, was to make it possible to transform the marshes into "good nature of arable land" and create villages. The draining finished, the plots are allocated, the smallholdings appear. The number of inhabitants encouraged the Duke of Saint Simon to found two parishes: the parish of Saint Louis (all the part of the large marsh located between the Gironde and the ring canal, between the Clonges canal and that of Fréneau), in l honor of the King of France and that of Saint Simon.
The church, the presbytery and the cemetery built between 1665 and 1667 were destroyed during the Revolution of 1789. Rebuilt in 1895 in a neo-Gothic style and on a new north-south orientation, it is located north of the town of Braud -and-Saint-Louis. The spire of the bell tower culminates at 37 meters in height.
After the Revolution, the parish of Saint Saturnin de Braud and the parish of Saint Louis des Marais were united to form the municipality of Braud and Saint Louis.
THE CROSS OF SAINT LOUIS
A cross found in the attic of the presbytery of Braud was erected at a place called "La Chapelle", near Fréneau, during a procession in June 1915, thus indicating the location of the disappeared church.
This cross is visible from the road leading to the nuclear power plant, on the left, 4 km from the Paillerie roundabout.
Translated by Google •
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