The former town hall, now the Salle du Conseil Municipal et des Mariages, was the home of Victor Cognacq, a winegrower who made his fortune in the 19th century.
This house, built in the 19th century, belonged to Victor Cognacq, a wealthy winegrower. These Boitais vineyard workers were relatively well-off in those days, as opposed to the much poorer north of the island. Unlike the other inhabitants of the island, the vines planted in the sandy soil enabled the inhabitants of Bois-Plage to escape phylloxera in part. Some even became wealthy as a result.
On the summer of August 28, 1881, the commune had a major project in mind: the acquisition of Victor Cognacq-Roy's house, located just across the road from the communal premises. The idea was simple but ambitious: to transform the house into a new town hall, and to use the old one as an asylum for young children. The house consisted of a dwelling, a courtyard, a kiosk and even a pond, which the commune was responsible for developing. Part of the building was demolished, then rebuilt using materials from the demolition.
A few years later, on June 10 1883, the work was entrusted to Rigny, a contractor based in La Couarde. Work progressed rapidly and, on November 1 of the same year, the new town hall and kindergarten officially opened their doors, marking an important milestone in the life of the village.
On the façade, various ornaments, including the sculpted head of Bacchus, bear witness to the past activity and splendor of the former owner's life.
On the summer of August 28, 1881, the commune had a major project in mind: the acquisition of Victor Cognacq-Roy's house, located just across the road from the communal premises. The idea was simple but ambitious: to transform the house into a new town hall, and to use the old one as an asylum for young children. The house consisted of a dwelling, a courtyard, a kiosk and even a pond, which the commune was responsible for developing. Part of the building was demolished, then rebuilt using materials from the demolition.
A few years later, on June 10 1883, the work was entrusted to Rigny, a contractor based in La Couarde. Work progressed rapidly and, on November 1 of the same year, the new town hall and kindergarten officially opened their doors, marking an important milestone in the life of the village.
On the façade, various ornaments, including the sculpted head of Bacchus, bear witness to the past activity and splendor of the former owner's life.
