The project of the Path of the Wise was born during a session of the Council of Elders, made up of 9 women and 9 men aged 60 and over, chosen for their wise experience by the Municipal Councillors. On that day, the subject of reflection was the question of how to bring our republican motto “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” to life?
The birth of the Path of the Sages
The idea germinated that sprinkle the city with sentences emanating from famous women and men, globally recognized for their wisdom and their humanism, could challenge the awareness of passers-by Borméens as tourists. In order to justify this bold and innovative project in the eyes of the Mayor and his Municipal Council, the decision is taken to combine this route with historical plaques which were to be installed on the city's emblematic monuments. The members of the Council of Elders then determined the route of this path within the medieval village and worked on the support, texts, images and symbols of these plates.
Le butterfly symbol is chosen because it represents joy, beauty, grace and lightness of being. It refers to the power of personal transformation by its strong power of rebirth. Indeed, before being a butterfly, this insect is first an egg, then it becomes a caterpillar before being a chrysalis and finally a butterfly. Each new step symbolizes a change in life, the let go on what you were to appreciate what you have become. As a symbol of wisdom, This animal is a source of inspiration in life. Under his fragile appearances,
The butterfly has a great strength. Indeed, his life is fleeting (life span of a few days to a few weeks) and yet, it spreads joy and good humor by the grace and beauty of its flight, enjoying every moment that nature offers it. So why not do like the butterfly, to approach with confidence everything that life offers us, good or bad experience, because after all it only lasts a moment. These experiences are not the past the better preparation for the future allowing us to move forward more serenely on the paths of life?
Molière's biography
Actor, troupe leader, author and director.
Born in Paris on January 15, 1622, Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, which will later take the name of Moliere, and the son of a rich upholsterer to the king. He lost his mother at the age of ten. After studying at the Clermont college (future Louis-le-Grand high school), he made law studies in Orleans, that he abandoned in 1642 for take over from his father of which he separated the following year to become an actor.
With his mistress Madeleine Béjart, he creates the “L'Illustre-Théâtre” company of which he is the director and takes the name of Molière. But the troupe goes bankrupt, which is what makes Molière imprisoned in 1645 for a few days before being freed thanks to his father paying his debts. With the troupe of Charles Dufresne and some actors from L'Illustre-Théâtre, he then leaves for the Province where he remained until 1658. From 1655, he also became playwright.
De returned to Paris in 1658, Molière won the following year a brilliant success with The Ridiculous Precious Ones. In 1661 he installed his troupe at the Royal Palace. In 1662 he married the actress Armande Béjart, young sister of Madeleine Béjart. Despite its success, “The School for Women” is accused of being an irreligious play and will be the subject of a long controversy. The comedy Tartuffe, here shocks Catholics, is banned for several years at the request of the Archbishop of Paris. In 1665, Molière, whose troupe was financially supported by King Louis XIV, was appointed responsible for court entertainment. Molière separated from Armande in 1666 and reconciled with her in 1672. He wrote many plays including comedy-ballets with the musician and composer Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687) as The Bourgeois Gentleman and achieves many successes.
Molière died of pulmonary hemorrhage February 17, 1673, just after the fourth performance of the “Imaginary sick person” during which he feels pain while playing Argan, the main role. He is buried in Père Lachaise, in Paris, next to Jean de la FontaineA keen observer of society, Molière depicts in his plays the morals of his time and more particularly those of the bourgeoisie of which he criticizes the claim to become noble, the place of women and marriages for interest. He created a whole series of iconic characters, passed down to posterity: Monsieur Jourdain, Harpagon, Alceste and Célimène, Tartuffe and Orgon, Dom Juan, Sganarelle, Argan the imaginary invalid. Molière occupies a very important place in French literature of which he is one of the pillars with works of great variety who brought comedy out of the minor genre in which it found itself.
From the olive tree to the oil
La population of the village and the municipality has considerably increased, which resulted in a growing demand for olive oil. Olive oil was essential in daily life residents, used in cooking, for lighting with oil lamps and for making soap.
To meet this demand, some plot owners have had to build several oil mills. There was until five mills in the heart of the village, as well as many private mills in the surrounding area. The geographical position mills were strategic, near the olive groves in order to reduce transport time oil. A nearby well provided the water needed for the successive washes. However, with theadvent of the Industrial Revolution and later the First World War, the abandonment of oil mills was accelerated. Technical advances and labor shortages during the war led to the gradual closure of the mills.
Nowadays, The mill chapels are still visible, representing the upper parts of the system. The building was designed to accommodate an animal attached to an axle and a stone mill, here was rotating around the crusher tank. This story illustrates the importance of the olive tree in local agriculture and highlights the evolution of techniques and historical circumstances that influenced the olive oil industry in the region.
Also find the Path of the Sages on Baludik!
To discover the fun and geolocated route, scan this QR code. Games and surprises await you with the Baludik application.