QR Vic-le-Comte – Bourg 3
Place de l’Olme
These buildings belonged to the former Saint-Joseph boarding school. It was run by a community of Marist Brothers. Founded in 1817, the Society of the Little Brothers of Mary, known as the Marist Brothers, was dedicated to educating young people about Christianity, especially in poor, rural areas.
In September 1914, a military hospital was opened in the Vic-le-Comte boarding school. It had 45 beds and housed wounded soldiers until August 1917. During the Great War, there were many temporary hospitals all over France. There were more than 70 in the Puy-de-Dôme alone, as well as the spa towns of La Bourboule, Châtel-Guyon, Royat and Le Mont-Dore, and also Clermont, Chamalières, Issoire, Arlanc, Maringues, Billom, Thiers and Aigueperse.
Today, they house the intercommunal music school and the Vic-le-Comte woodwind orchestra. Started under the Second Empire in 1865, the Vic-le-Comte brass band is one of the oldest musical societies in Puy-de-Dôme. It was originally made up of farmers and winegrowers who only played brass and percussion instruments. The brass band played at all the festivities, parading through the streets, from patron saint’s day in September to Bastille on 14 July, much to the delight of the residents.
On the ground floor, the Trampoline is an area dedicated to promoting arts and crafts. Created in 2018, the aim of this exhibition, cultural, arts and broadcasting venue is to highlight the artistic creativity of our region. Many events and exhibitions take place there.