A Brief History of Mons
Situated at an altitude of 814 metres the commune of Mons encompasses a vast territory of 8,000 hectares in the Var, Provence, ranging from 214 metres (at the confluent of the Siagne and the Siagnole rivers) to 1715 meters at the summit of Mont-Lachens.
This explains the variety of different scenery found on the territory of the commune, as well as the diversity of its vegetation, but also accounts for the fact that it is sparsely cultivated. There are exceptional views from the village (from the Place Saint Sebastien), ranging from Menton to the East all the way to Toulon in the West. With today's network of roads, Mons is a mere 30 Kms from Grasse, 48 from Draguignan, 50 from Saint Raphael, 48 from Cannes and 68 from Nice.
Mons in Roman Provence
The first human construction on what was to become the site of the village of Mons dates from approximately 49 BC when the Romans captured the source of the Siagnole in order to supply the town of Frejus (Forum Julii) with water. This system is still in use today.
The village of Mons developed around an ancient Saracen watchtower built on a rock where the old feudal castle once stood. At the end of 10th century, the Lord of Callian, whose lands extended right up to Esclapon (several Kms uphill from today's village), used the Saracen tower as the basis for building a modest castle. Following this, some families from Italian Liguria settled here in order to cultivate the land. The dwellings of today's "Chateau-Vieux" quarter date from the 10th century. The first church in the village was established by Papal Bull in 1113 under the appellation of "Sancti Victori" (Saint Victor).
Mons in Medieval Provence
In 1260, other settlers arrived in Mons, attracted here by their predecessors. The village expanded and a new church was erected (whose remains constitute the oldest sections of our present day church). In 1348 the village was decimated by an epidemic of Plague, followed in 1364 by famine caused through an invasion of locusts. In 1390 and 1451, the Plague reappeared with dire consequences.
In 1461, Antoine de Villeneuve. then the Seigneur of Mons, imported 20 families from Figounia (near ventimiglia in Italy) in order to repopulate his decimated village. Having appreciated the qualities of endurance of these hardworking people, the Seigneur then a invited a further 40 Figounia families to join them. An Act of Settlement sealing these events was signed in the great hall of the castle in 1468. This was followed by a hundred years of such intense vitality and development that Mons was to become overpopulated. For this reason in 1562, several families decided to leave and settle in Escragnolles (further up the mountain, now in Alpes Maritimes).
Mons During The Renaissance
In 1590, during the Wars of Religion, the village was besieged by the armies of Charles Emmanuel, Duke of Savoy. From the top of the ramparts, the women played their part fully beside the men. Led on by a local heroine, "Marie Saussoun" (from oral memory), the ladies managed for a time to hold off the duke's troops by showering them from the ramparts with burning bundles of wood and bee hives. Several days and 200 hundred (sic) canon shots later, Charles Emmanuel's troops finally broke into Mons. One hundred village notables were thrown into prison: twenty of them were hung on the village square, the others being sent off to rot in the galleys. The order for this punishment was given by Henri d'Angouleme, Lieutenant to the King of Provenc, in order to avenge "de Gault", son of Henri de Villeneuve "The Cruel", who, several years previously, had been chased from the village by its inhabitants.
In 1613 heavy snows fell. The Monsois were requisitioned to maintain troops billeted in Fayence. In 1709, the winter was terrible: 50 loads of wheat were levied on the Monsois for the feeding of the poor. The winter of 1755 was also so severe that olive trees succumbed to the frost. In 1762, all the crops were devastated by hail. The same occurred again in 1780. The village appears to have been spared by the Revolution of 1789. Damage caused by the rigours of that year's winter and popular "emotions" are merely alluded to, and with a certain amount of reserve, in contemporary writings.
Mons in Modern Provence
In 1823, the village had 1,078 inhabitants - more than Saint Raphael which, at that time, only numbered 883: the great rush for the coast had not yet begun! The majority of villagers were then of Italian or French origin. Indeed, contemporary records show: 120 Italians, 911 Varoi and 47 people from other departments of France. A total of 205 farmers are recorded although in actual fact, 829 of the village's inhabitants subsisted on some form of agriculture. Since the 16th century, fine hempen cloth had been produced in Mons as well as rope from the same plant, which was cultivated in cotton fields. Thanks to large numbers of sheep, wool was also produced in the commune. 1820 saw the linen and cotton industries flourish and the Tansonive tile works, set up in the 16th century by Antoine de Villeneuve, was still operational.
A census ordered by deputy mayor Porre on June 18th 1836 numbered 1099 inhabitants, the peak for the village. However, the dawn of the 20th century ushered in a slow decline in the village's fortunes which was to accelerate after the Great War, from which 38 young men were never to return. Subsequent generations were to seek less harsh living conditions in nearby towns.
Mons Today
The strong, distinctive character of the village of Mons, its calm and beauty have made it the jewel of Varois hinterland, situated as it is, at the confines of the Gavot uplands. On visiting Mons, you will discover a special quality of silence in its streets, and you will perhaps want to speak in whispers so as not to disturb the peace of the souls of bygone days, which people them still. Throughout their entire history, the Monsois have had to grapple with adversity. Their tenacity and courage has forged them into a hardy, solid and ever progressing community, which deservedly bears its nickname of "Chinois de Provence" (the Chinese of Provence). Yet, the Monsois community, together with all its new residents, awaits the 21st century with confident hope.