![[Flag of la Chapelle-sur-Erdre]](../images/f/fr-44-ce.gif)
by Arnaud Leroy
Last modified: 2005-04-23 by ivan sache
Keywords: chapelle-sur-erdre (la) | loire-atlantique | ermines: 2 (black) | cross (red) | proposal | wheel (white) |
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by Arnaud Leroy
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The city of La Chapelle-sur-Erdre (15,000 inhabitants) is located in the northern outskirts of Nantes,
In the middle of the IIIrd century, a Gallo-Roman settlement was established near the rivers Erdre, Gesvres, Hocmard and Rupt, which water the current municipal territory of la Chapelle-sur-Erdre. In 1106, the village established around a chapel (Capella supra Herdam) was granted the status of parish. The chapel was dedicated to St. Catherine, allegely martyrized on a chariot wheel in Alexandria (Egypt) in 311. The parochial banners of La Chapelle-sur-Erdre are decorated with traditional iconographical elements of St. Catherine's life.
Source: Fabien Chébaut. Une proposition de drapeau pour la Chapelle-sur-Erdre. Ar Banniel [arb] #7 (Winter 1998), pp. 5-6.
Ivan Sache, 25 July 2003
The flag of La Chapelle-sur-Erdre, rarely used, is white the municipal coat of arms in the middle.
The municipal coat of arms of la Chapelle-sur-Erdre was officially registered on 3 October 1998. The arms are:
D'azur à la roue de Sainte-Catherine d'argent ; au chef d'argent chargé d'une croix ancrée de gueules accompagnée de deux mouchetures d'hermine
The wheel recalls St. Catherine's martyrdom.
The red cross recalls the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, who
founded the current city of la Chapelle-sur-Erdre around their early
settlement in the castle of Plessis. After having left Jerusalem, the
Knights settled in the St. Catherine's monastery on Mount Sinai,
which had been built on St. Catherine's tomb, and placed their order
under the protection of the saint.
The two ermine spots recall that la Chapelle-sur-Erdre was part of
the Duchy of Brittany.
On the greater arms of the municipality, the shield described above is flanked by a branch of laurel (dexter), recalling the Gallo-Roman settlement, and a branch of oak (sinister), recalling the former Gallic forest. The two branches are tied below the shield with a bright red ribbon, recalling the former Order of St. Louis. A scroll with the municipal motto Progrès et fidélité (Progress and Loyalty) is placed between the shield and the ribbon.
Source: Fabien Chébaut. Une proposition de drapeau pour la Chapelle-sur-Erdre. Ar Banniel [arb] #7 (Winter 1998), pp. 5-6.
Ivan Sache, 25 July 2003
![[Proposal of municipal flag]](../images/f/fr-44!ce.gif)
by Ivan Sache
Fabien Chébaut's proposal was inspired by the national flag of Slovenia. This flag proposal is horizontally divided white-light green-light blue, with the municipal coat of arms placed in canton, overlapping the white and green stripes.
The white stripe symbolizes the urban part of the municipality and
harmony.
The green stripe recalls the woods, the hedges, the valleys and the
meadows of the municipality, which is nicknamed 'the green lung of
the city of Nantes'.
The blue stripe symbolizes the river Erdre as well as the other
rivers which water the municipality.
The coat of arms recalls the history of the municipality.
Source: Fabien Chébaut. Une proposition de drapeau pour la Chapelle-sur-Erdre. Ar Banniel [arb] #7 (Winter 1998), pp. 5-6.
Ivan Sache, 25 July 2003