Bonnetière Castle, La Chaussée (Vienne), France
By Marie-Colombe (Chiasson) Robichaud, Meteghan, Nova Scotia
France! Loudun! La Bonnetière Castle! The church of La Chaussée! A day I’ll never forget. I was finally in Poitou, region where my ancestors came from. As hit by an arrow, my heart started to beat very fast. Blood was streaming down my veins like a river over flooding a dam. In May 2007, being invited at the Festival « Contes et Musique » at Fontaine-le-Comte, in France, I had the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of our Robichaud ancestors.
While doing research for my book “L’Arrivée des Robichaud en Acadie” and the English version “The Robichauds in Acadia”published in 2004 for the Congrès Mondial of the said year, I discovered that in the XV11century, our Robichaud ancestors were sharecroppers at that castle. Charles de Menou d’Aulnay, who became governor of l’Acadie after Isaac de Razilly, apparently recruited the Robichauds in the Notre-Dame de La Chaussée church. Eager to discover a new land, the Robichauds, along with other colonists, embarked at La Rochelle in boats, which took them across the Atlantic Ocean to l’Acadie, the “New World” for them. Thus they became known as our founding families.
Looking back, we realize that these events took place almost 400 years ago. Today’s generation enjoys minute details concerning the historical beginnings of our ancestors, due for the most part to the extensive research by great writers like Stephen White and others, and to the technical support available. This is to say that computers and books keep us in touch with the days of yore. But what about fast transportation, which not only allows us to get from one place to another, but also enables our dreams to become reality?
I would never have thought for one moment in my life, that one day I would be sitting in the castle de la Bonnetière, having a coffee with the present owners. Or that I would actually be in the church of La Chaussée, place where Charles d’Aulnay not only recruited the Robichauds, but also got married. On my trip to Loudun, I was able to visit old Acadian farms and also the port at La Rochelle. Needless to say that I was in awe, admiring those ancient beauties.
Of course, my voyage came to an end and I came back to l’Acadie. Today, I’m proud to honor the Robichauds and to participate in family reunions. Marriage made me a Robichaud, a family for which I have a deep and profound admiration. We can consider ourselves cousins; our descendants came from Poitou to found a new colony, la “Nouvelle-France”. The Great Deportation separated us. The World Acadian Congresses unite us. A toast to the Robichauds!
Marie-Colombe (Chiasson) Robichaud, January 29, 2014
Meteghan, N.S.
