During the French Revolution and the First Empire, Count Jean-Christophe Léaulté, Lord and Mayor of Vivey, was the hero of our story. Born into a family of parliamentarians, he was a representative of the nobility at the Assembly of the States General and spent 19 months in prison under the Terror. He was also a distinguished and cultured character, yet he was most often seen ploughing and working in the woods, gathering hay and rye. Tall, strong, with broad shoulders and a clear mind, his portrait resembles that of all the inhabitants of Vivey.
Not so long ago, there were still many wolves in the area. In December 1811, one of them attacked six Vivey residents, who subsequently died of their wounds. Since this tragedy, the villagers had lived in fear.
On 21 December, the Count of Vivey went out to cut branches. As he was doing so, the wolf appeared. It attacked several times, tearing the Count's face and left hand with its fangs.
Armed only with a pruning hook, the man fought desperately and, despite his wounds, had the courage to continue beating the animal until he finally put it down. The saviour died of his bites 85 days later.
In 1911, a century after the death of the last wolf, the villagers decided to honour his achievement and show their gratitude to this benefactor by erecting a monument at the site of the attack: the villagers named it La Croix-au-Loup. It consists of two slabs forming steps and a plinth topped by a cross, all three metres high. A bronze plaque bears a text evoking the man's bravery, in a style inspired by Alfred de Vigny's Le Loup, giving an almost universal dimension to this event in the life of this small village.
"To the devotion of the parents of Jean-Christophe Léaulté de Vivey, mayor of the village.
On 21 December, this respectable old man, entering his 79th year, was attacked in this place by a furious wolf that wounded him. His courage restored him to his former vigour, and armed only with a small billhook, he laid the terrible animal at its feet and delivered the country from the monster that had long been its terror. Six people had already died from its bites when the Avenger himself died 85 days after his victory.
Stop by, honour his memory and pray to God for the repose of his soul.
La croix au loup de Vivey
