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The béates and lace-making gatherings

«It is to them (the béates) that, over the four centuries of lace-making prosperity, Velay owes its lace makers,» wrote L. Gachon.

Remember these lace makers, who earned a few coins by making meters of lace between fieldwork and household chores. They loved gathering in front of houses on fine days or by the fire in the evenings or during winter.

In the 17th century, many lace makers neglected their education, preferring to work on their lace pillows. They also often overlooked the education of their children. Anne-Marie MARTEL of Le Puy and Abbé Antoine TONSON, director of the seminary in Le Puy, founded the semi-secular, semi-religious order known as les demoiselles de l'Instruction, or «béates,« to provide religious education to young girls.

The Béates evangelized the region of Velay and played a key role in teaching lace making, thus contributing to the preservation, evolution, and improvement of this craft. By 1783, they were responsible for educating two-thirds of the children in Velay.

They continued to teach until 1881, after which children found it difficult to adapt to leaving their lace pillows at home. By the 19th century, there were as many as 900 béates, spread across nearly every hamlet in Velay.

A béate was not a nun and did not take vows but instead made «promises.» She received a Lettre d'obédience, a kind of teaching certificate. She lived in a maison d'assemblée (assembly house), built for her by the village requesting her presence. These houses were easily recognizable by their small bell towers.

The Béate taught young girls how to make lace and provided basic education in reading, writing, and arithmetic to boys and girls deemed capable. In autumn, it was in the Béate's house that the couvige or assembly of lace makers would gather for evening work. The gathering would begin with a communal rosary, followed by conversations and singing while working on lace.

Lace making was also the béate's main source of income. She received modest payments or donations in kind for hosting the gatherings. Additionally, she provided care for the sick, kept vigil over the deceased, and assisted with their burial.

Jean ANGLADE wrote: «She was a woman of great dedication, sought out during difficult times.» (Excerpt from Daily Life in the Massif Central in the 19th Century).
However, Henri POURRAT also noted: «When she started gossiping with her neighbors, heaven help the one who became the subject of their tongues! And Dorothée never left hers under her pillow when she got up in the morning.»

Ulysse ROUCHON described their attire: «...It consisted of a black wool dress with a «camail» (a hooded cape), whose opening revealed a modest silver cross on the chest. A flat bonnet was framed by a black taffeta hood, the â€œcalèche,â€ pleated at the nape, with wings that hung down on either side and tied under the chin to secure it against the wind or close it against the snow.»

The béate was a unique figure in Velay, marking the rhythm of village life with the sound of her bell. She deserves respect for the valuable and useful work she accomplished.