SAINT-NEXANS
OFFICIAL SITE
History of Saint-Nexans
In the 12th century, Saint-Nexans owned an establishment of the Templar Order. From this period, only the lower part of the church facade remains (Ecole Saintongeaise): the origin of the name of the town is Saint Naissant, namely Jean-Baptiste 1295 Saint Nexantius.
In the 15th century, the Hospitallers of Saint John of Jerusalem obtained ownership and management of the Templar establishments.
In the 14th century, it was one of the 32 Périgord towns surrounded by fortified walls.
The order of Saint John was of strategic importance, it controlled the passage of goods and pilgrims to Spain (Way of Saint James of Compostela).
In 1300, the Hospital of Saint Nexant had already multiplied its real estate and these included the suburbs of the Madeleine which controlled traffic on the bridge of the Dordogne.
Lembras: Hospital goods depended on the commandery near Queyssac, which owed that of Saint-Nexans. Naussannes, 4km south of Beaumont, was a dependency of Saint-Nexans. Saint Aubin, Cours, l'Abadie, Colombier, several borderies (manse terroirs and seigniorial reserves open to cultivation, several species (fallow land), meager farming operations (vines, wheat).
Saint-Nexans is the homeland of Jacques Pinet, born September 9, 1754, monk of Saint Aubin, mountain deputy and mayor of Bergerac, he will live until November 1814. His brother Jean was mayor of Saint-Nexans in 1799. His rear grandson E. Gérard was mayor of Bergerac in 1878.
Our town is also the City of Commander Bernicot. Former long-distance captain, he went around the world in 26 months on a 12-meter cutter "Anahita".
Finally, the culture of the vine brought by the Greeks from Asia Minor spread rapidly in our town.
From 1520, sweet sweet white wine was highly prized in England and Holland.
Today, despite the great upheaval in the rural world, wine remains one of the most important economic assets for our town.