Lucq-de-Béarn: The Church and ruins of the tower

LES PÉRISSÉ:

Our branch of the Périssé family originated in Lucq-de-Béarn, a small village of the Département des Pyrénées Atlantiques in Southern France. The Department is home to two culturally distinct regions: The French Basque Country and the Béarn (see map) . Although the Béarn is now located in French territory, many people still speak the original language spoken before 1620.

"Lo Bearn que's guardè l'independéncia dinc a 1620. Que l'averé lhèu enqüèra si Enric de Navarra n'avèva pas volut estar rei de França". The Béarn kept its independence until 1620. And perhpaps it might still have it had Henry of Navarra not wanted to become king of France.

"Du point de vue linguistique, le Béarn représente la point sud-ouest de l'ensemble occitano-roman qui comprend l'occitan central, le catalan et le gascon . La limite entre le Béarn et le Pays basque sépare l'euzkara du gascon. La langue béarnaise que l'on peut également appeler "gascon" ou "occitan", désigne l'idiome qui fut, en Béarn, la langue d'état jusqu'en 1620 et, à partir du XIXème siècle, au moment même où son existence sera mise en question, va recouvrir paradoxalement sa dignité en tant que langue littéraire."

For those who can read French and are interested in learning Bearnés/Gascon there is a method called "Lo Gascon Lèu e Plan" by Michel Grosclaude with audio tapes.

Os falantes de Português poderão obter algumas noções de Bearnês aqui

My great grand father Vincent was born on March 25, 1835 to Jean Périssé, 37, taylor, and Françoise Lingous of Aren, a nearby village. Jean and Françoise had 11 children: Léon, Vincent, Louis, Eloi, François, Adelaïde, Madelaine, Eléanore, Marie, Marie Jeanne and Catherine. Vincent Périssé left Lucq at the age of 17 and immigrated to South America. He lived for some time in Argentina and Uruguay where he worked in hotels. Fifteen years later he moved to Brazil and started a "curtume" in Cantagalo where his brothers Léon and Louis were already. Much of what I know about Vincent comes from a book written by Freycinet Périssé, one of my grandfather João Gambetta's brothers. I met uncle Freycinet when I was in my early 20's. He was almost completely blind by that time due to a hereditary disease that didn't affect our branch of the family. He had dedicated a great deal of time researching the genealogy and story of the Périssé. His wife Maria do Carmo typed the manuscript. He allowed me to make a xerox copy of this book which I still have to this day. Uncle Freycinet visited Lucq in 1974. The following is a quotation from his journal:

"Essa visita por estarem os parentes de férias somente pode ser realizada, por simples coincidência no dia sete de setembro. Passamos quase todo dia no ambiente em que viveu meu pai a infância e a adolescência. Chegamos à Pau ao amanhecer do dia 7 após um percurso de 760 Km. O resto da viagem foi feita de automóvel. Fomos preparados para encontrarmos ou não os parentes. Felizmente estavam em casa. Ao entrar na centenária residência senti emocionado a presença dos meus queridos antepassados com particularidade a de meu pai. Depois de nos oferecer lanche, JEANNE FAVOREU, nos mostrou a casa, que consta de 2 pavimentos. Verificamos o perfeito estado de uma construção de mais de 500 anos. Tudo na casa me trazia a recordação de um passado que não vivi, desde os móveis e objetos ainda conservados com crinho, até a velha adega (hoje transformada em garagem) tendo como sinal marcante tres grandes toneis, onde provavelmente Jean Périssé envelhecia seus vinhos.
Passamos depois a conhecer os pontos principais do lugarejo (ou povoa;cão, como dizia meu pai), escola, ruas e a Abadia do século XVI, já em ruínas, existindo ainda em bom estado uma pequena parte onde funciona a igreja local. Visitamos também o cemitério onde repousasm os Périssés e os Favoreus que lá ficaram. Assim, enquanto os meus acompanhantes conversavam com os parentes, passei largos minutos evocando um passado que não podia ter participado. Naquela casa centenária, tinha partido a maioria dos meus tios além do meu pai. Ficaram apenas os chefes da familia e uma filha, Madelaine Favoreu, em favor da qual os irmãos que emigraram desistiram de sua parte na propriedade. São descendentes diretos dessa tia os parentes que lá ficaram."

Uncle Freycinet's record had a profound influence on me. I read it countless times and for many years I dreamt of visiting Lucq. My dream finally came true on October 20, 1996. It was a beautiful Sunday morning. Jeanne Favoreu had died a few years before. Her house now belongs to her daughter who doesn't live in the village. There are no more Périssés living in Lucq. The people in the village are very friendly and hospitable. They will go out of their way to help visitors. At the bottom of this page you will find some pictures of this peaceful Béarnaise village where, it is said, "on y arrive en chantant et part en pleurant".




"E coneishetz lo men vilatge?"


La Mairie de Lucq-de-Béarn


La Maison Périssé


The old fountain


Main Street


La Maison Favoreu where Vincent Périssé was born




Adishatz, monde! Hètz beròi !

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