GASTON PHEBUS, COMTE DE FOIX, the author of " Se Canto "

In the fourteenth-century, the Château de Mézerville belongs to the County of Foix where there Gaston Phoebus (1331 - 1391), "Gaston by the grace of God, Comte de Foix, Lord of Béarn, Vicomte de Nébouzan, Lautrec and Albigensians" . A map, kept at the Musée de l'Hôtel d'Ardouin and Old Mazères, shows the extent of his domain. This map is a curiosity because it is oddly inverted (the south is at the top) and dated 18 th century. It is caused by Roussel and the Blottière that guided their cards in the sense of "useful".

Powerful person, flamboyant, nicknamed "Phoebus," Gaston is a skilful negotiator, a man of war and poet in his spare time. "Every time I found myself délecté specially three things: weapons, love and hunting."
He wrote in his famous 1387 book "hunting", a work remarkable for its descriptions and its imagery.

There is no doubt that very often Phébus staying in a castle Mazères does come to Mézerville to warm up at the foot of the large fireplace on the first floor during his hunting parties.

Phoebus is in conflict with its financial violent stepfather, King of Navarre. It seems that Phoebus had some regrets after this separation when he wrote the famous "canso:" Se canto "where a bird singing under his window for his mie, which is far from him and where these proud if high mountains prevent it from see his love.

Today, throughout the south-west of France, the song can be regarded as a "national anthem". It does not complete a party or a family reunion of friends without singing « Se canto, que canto ».

You can listen, sung by Andre Dassary: http://www.alsacedabord.org/article.php3?id_article=487

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