town hall of Vix

The town hall of Vix stands on rue Georges-Clémenceau, at the heart of the commune of Vix, home to roughly 1,839 residents in the Vendée department, in the Pays de la Loire region. The village itself grew up on what was once an island in the Marais Poitevin, the wetland known as the "Green Venice," and its town hall has occupied the same building for well over a century.

How many homes did the town council go through before settling here?

Vix's municipal offices moved several times before reaching their current address. The earliest recorded location, rented in 1822 at what is now number 9 on rue Georges-Clémenceau, was described at the time as cramped, damp, and expensive to keep. In 1849 the commune bought a building on the church square, on the spot where the bus now stops. Around 1858 the offices moved again, to a site between the church and the covered market, before returning to the church square around 1878 following an extension and interior renovation.

Where does the current building come from?

The house that serves as today's town hall was built between 1820 and 1828 for Nicolas-Auguste Prouzeau, a well-off local innkeeper. It stayed in the Prouzeau family until his son, Armand Prouzeau, left it to the commune in his will. The municipality formally took possession on 10 May 1894, a date recorded on a plaque above the entrance.

What else is worth noticing on the grounds?

Two side wings with outbuildings flank the main house. One now holds the municipal library, next to an old stone kitchen garden that survives from the Prouzeau era. The grounds also display a cast-iron public weighing scale from the commune's former weighing station, set up in 1874 and renewed in 1920, along with an ornamental iron gate and a pediment reading "Mairie" salvaged from the previous town hall on the church square.

When can visitors reach the town hall?

The office is open to the public Monday and Tuesday, plus Thursday, from 2pm to 5pm, and on Friday from 9am to noon; it is closed on Wednesdays and over the weekend. The town hall can be reached by phone at +33 2 51 00 62 24.

For travelers exploring the Marais Poitevin, the town hall makes a useful landmark right in the village center, within easy walking distance of both the church and the landing stage where flat-bottomed boats set off along the marsh's canals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where exactly is the town hall of Vix located? On rue Georges-Clémenceau, in the center of the commune of Vix, in the Vendée department, Pays de la Loire.

Since when has this building served as the town hall? The commune formally took possession on 10 May 1894, though the house itself was built earlier, between 1820 and 1828.

What was the building used for before it became the town hall? It was the private home of the Prouzeau family, built by innkeeper Nicolas-Auguste Prouzeau and later bequeathed to the commune by his son, Armand.

What are the town hall's opening hours? Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 2pm to 5pm, and Friday from 9am to noon; closed Wednesdays and weekends.