The town of Lavaur is the only commune in the Southwest to have a Jacquemart, a wooden automaton, hoisted in a tower of Saint-Alain Cathedral.
The Jacquemart is actually the most famous Vauréen.
It was in 1604 that this wooden figure, dressed as a lansquenet, was installed at the top of its tower.
Every day, curious onlookers watch the hours or half-hour to see this automaton strike the large bronze bell bearing the town's coat of arms with its axe.
Legend has it that a Huguenot prisoner invented this mechanism to avoid the chore of ringing. It should be noted that the cathedral's large tower was occasionally used as a prison. This prisoner was supposedly called Jacques Marc, which explains the name Jacquemart…
His invention allowed him to escape…
Over the years, the Jacquemart was perfected…
In July 1957, Jacquemart having lost his arm, Mayor Raoul Lacouture commissioned sculptor Gabriel Brauge to reconstruct it.
It was repositioned by municipal carpenter Jean Falcou.
Then Jacquemart was repainted by Maurice Crouzet. Once again in poor condition, it was taken down on March 25, 1997, by a company from Hérault, to be restored at the Conservatoire des Monuments Historiques in Toulouse.
It returned three months later. This provided the opportunity for an exhibition of the three Jacquemarts at the tourist office.
Guided tours of Saint-Alain Cathedral: Lavaur Tourist Information Office +33 5 63 41 89 50.
Saint-Alain Cathedral
Place Saint-Alain
81500 Lavaur
