Crosne

What secrets does a town hold when it lends its name to a unique root vegetable? Crosne, a commune nestled in the Essonne department of France, shares its name with the curious Crosne du Japon, also known as Chinese artichoke or Stachys affinis. Crosne, the town, isn’t the birthplace of the vegetable, but it played a pivotal role in its introduction to Europe. Around 1882, Auguste Pailleux, an industrialist with a passion for gardening, settled in Crosne. He, along with botanist Désiré Bois, received a shipment of the then-unknown tuber from Peking. Pailleux cultivated the peculiar root vegetable in his Crosne garden. They found it thrived in the French soil. Realizing the vegetable needed a more pronounceable name for the French market, Pailleux cleverly named it after his adopted town. Crosne, the vegetable, thus began its European journey from this charming French commune. Crosne itself has a rich history extending back to Neolithic times. Excavations have revealed tools dating back to this era. The town’s position along the Yerres River made it a natural settlement and a key point on the Roman road from Auxerre to Le Havre. In the Middle Ages, Crosne was part of the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. The town eventually became its own fiefdom. The 13th century witnessed the construction of the Church of Notre-Dame de la Compassion, a testament to the town’s growing importance. Crosne was also home to notable figures. Nicolas Boileau, the renowned poet, spent his childhood here. The town also boasts connections to Jean-Baptiste Colbert de Seignelay, son of the famous Jean-Baptiste Colbert, and even the Abbé Sieyès, a key figure in the French Revolution. Crosne wasn’t just a quiet village, though. It witnessed the tumultuous times of the French Revolution and even briefly merged with Villeneuve-Saint-Georges, only to regain its independence. Later, in the 19th century, the town became home to an optical instrument factory, established by Armand Lemaire. This factory, known for its “Abeille” brand, employed many locals and provided excellent working conditions for its time. Crosne has truly blossomed from its humble beginnings as a small village into a thriving commune. It has embraced its unique connection to the Crosne du Japon, a vegetable that carries its name across the culinary world. As you wander through Crosne, remember the story of the little root vegetable that put this charming town on the map.