Saint-Cannat

The village was named after Canus Natus, a fifth century Roman Catholic Saint, who was a Roman clergyman born with white hair, a quirk synonymous with great wisdom at the time.[2] He was buried in Saint-Cannat, although there was no such place at the time, but soon enough several houses were built into a hamlet.[2]

In the twelfth century, Archbishop Pierre mentioned, 'Castrum Santi - Cannati' in a paper.[2]

In the thirteenth century, villagers turned on their archbishop and pledged allegiance to the Lord of the Baux-de-Provence, and then to the Kings of Sicily (namely, Frederic III of Aragon, or perhaps Louis XIII).[2] This, however, only lasted three years.[2] In the same century, the Knights Templar established a settlement there.[2]

Pierre André de Suffren was born here on 17 July 1729.[2] A century later, Alphonse Tavernier, a poet, was born here on 27 November 1852.

On June 11, 1909, a terrible earthquake destroyed almost everything.[2] Shortly after, the houses were re-built in the same architectural style.[2] Both in 1984 and 1994 huge floods ravaged most houses.[2]

It has retained several fountains dating back to the 17th and 18th century, the remains of the medieval ramparts and the chateau, which today houses the town hall and museum.[2] The Route nationale 7 bisects the village.

There is a polo club, Polo Club de Saint Cannat, opened in the 1970s.[3] It organizes the Open d'Aix and the Tournoi de Noel every year.[4]

There is also an entertainment park called Village des automates.[5]

It is also home to the winery Château de Beaupré, started by Baron Emile Double (1869-1938) in 1890.[6]

The creek Budéou flows through the village.

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• Official website