Site de la Vinzelle

Vinzelle would come from vinum (wine) and cella (cellar), hence vincella in Low Latin. An important village in the Middle Ages, it had "High Justice and a terrible castle", and was a stage on the road to Santiago de Compostela. A powerful castle occupied the present site of the church tower. It disappeared in the 16th century, during the wars of religion. In this place of solitude, lived the "Enfarinés" at the place called "la Bécarie", which schismatics had refused the concordat signed between the pope and Napoleon Bonaparte and lived in autarky, going out little and making their devotions to the rhythm of the ringings of the bells of Vinzelle. Henry Mouly was a teacher at La Vinzelle and created in 1922 the Occitan literary society Lo Grelh Roergas (see commemorative plaque at the school). His son Charles, creator of "Catinou et Jacouti", was born there. La Campana bella The big bell is a curiosity of the village. It weighs 1250 kg. It was offered by a well-to-do man of the village and was installed around 1870. First installed near the door of the church, it made such a deafening noise during the services that the inhabitants decided to hoist it on the rock dominating the village.