Ancienne mairie de Bourgneuf

Situated in the heart of the market town of Bourgneuf, the former town hall was built after the French Revolution; the date of construction is inscribed at the top of its pediment: 1868. Its façade is still preserved today.

Place Pierre Mourain, named several times!

Opposite the town hall is the village's main square. Over the course of history, it has witnessed a number of events relating to the region.

Under the Ancien Régime, the market was held in the square on Saturdays.

In turn, the square changed its name:

"town square",
"public square",
"Place d'Armes",
"Place de l'égalité",
"place de la fédération
or "place de la liberté" (1793).

Today, it is known as "Place Pierre Mourain".


Project to conserve the town's built heritage

The reorganisation of the town's services meant that the municipal services had to move to new premises in rue des Jaunins.
However, the commune of Villeneuve-en-Retz had plans to renovate the old town hall.
In 2021, work will be carried out to convert it into a community centre.
The aim is to provide additional local services and support for all procedures, as well as digital development.

As a result, from November 2021, the public will continue to be welcomed in the old town hall building, with the following three services:

Espace France Service
the CCAS (communal centre for social action)
the Post Office.



Did you know?
The square bears the name of the first mayor of Bourgneuf-en-Retz: Pierre Mourain (1740-1793).
Born in Bourgneuf-en-Retz in 1740, he was the son of Pierre Mourain, notary and public prosecutor for the Duchy of Retz (in the seats of Bourgneuf and Pornic), receiver for the Duke of Penthièvre, and Juliette Rousseau.
He was a lawyer in Bourgneuf and, before the Revolution, controller of deeds.
He became mayor of Bourgneuf in 1789.
In 1790, he was administrator of the department.
In September 1791, he was elected deputy for Loire-Inférieure to the Legislative Assembly. However, concerned by the excesses of the Revolution, he decided to resign his seat. He resigned as a deputy in September 1792. His aim was to devote himself to agriculture.

He was living in Bourgneuf, where he was still mayor, when the insurrectionary movements in the Pays de Retz (the Vendée Wars) began.
On 12 March 1793, the town was occupied by the insurgents: Pierre Mourain was arrested, along with thirteen other patriots.

On 24 March, the Vendée leader Louis-François Ripault de La Cathelinière, from Frossay, set up camp in Bourgneuf with a column of 600 men. He had three to twelve people shot.
Pierre Mourain was himself shot in the chest by La Cathelinière at a place called "La Foliette".



A little extra :
This site can be discovered by following the historic urban trail of Bourgneuf-en-Retz.