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The Tin Roof – Le toit en tôle

Candé sur Beuvron

Somebody needed a garage obviously and couldn’t afford slate! The patron saint of the church is called Bienheuré which means very happy.

Saint Bienheuré is a semi-legendary saint of Vendôme said to have lived in a nearby cave during the 3rd century. Like Saint George, he is said to have slayed a dragon.

He is said to have fasted and prayed before fighting the dragon. According to the legend, the dragon was so big that when it went to drink from a river some distance away, its tail remained in the cave. It was also so big that when it drank from the Loir, it drained it dry. There are three versions of what happened: the first says that the dragon fled at the sight of Saint Bienheuré; the second that Saint Bienheuré defeated the dragon with a single blow from his staff; and the third that he strangled it with his rosary beads.

Je suppose que quelqu’un avait besoin d’un garage mais manquait d’ardoises ! Il s’agit de l’église de Saint Bienheuré, un saint semi-légendaire de Vendôme qui aurait vécu dans une grotte voisine au IIIe siècle. Comme Saint-Georges, il aurait tué un dragon.

On dit qu’il jeûna et pria avant de s’attaquer au dragon. Selon la légende, le dragon était si grand que lorsqu’il allait boire à la rivière distante de 40 à 50 toises, sa queue restait dans la grotte. On racontait même qu’en buvant il asséchait le Loir. Il existe trois versions de ce combat : la première dit que le dragon s’enfuit à la seule vue de Saint Bienheuré ; la deuxième que Saint Bienheuré terrassa le dragon d’un seul coup de bâton ; la troisième qu’il l’aurait étranglé à l’aide de son chapelet.

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