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Gilles GoubervilleA French nobleman who owned Gouberville.
Country:
 France |
Content:
- Gilles Picot: A Norman Nobleman and Pioneer of Calvados
- Inheritance and Administrative Roles
- "Journal of Gilles Picot" and the Discovery of Calvados
- Later Life and Legacy
- The "Journal of Gilles Picot"
Gilles Picot: A Norman Nobleman and Pioneer of Calvados
Early Life and FamilyGilles Picot was born into a noble family in 1521, the eldest of seven children. His father, Guillaume V Picot, held the title of Lieutenant des Eaux et Forêts pour la Vicomtée de Valognes, while his mother, Jeanne du Fou, was the daughter of the lord of Mesnil-au-Val and commander of Cherbourg Castle.
Inheritance and Administrative Roles
In 1542, Picot assumed the management of his family's property, and in 1543, he succeeded his father as Lieutenant des Eaux et Forêts. Upon his father's death in 1544, Picot inherited both the lordship of Gouberville and Mesnil-au-Val.
"Journal of Gilles Picot" and the Discovery of Calvados
Beginning in 1549, Picot meticulously recorded his daily life in his "Journal." On March 28, 1553, he made the first known mention of the distillation of cider, which would later become known as calvados.
Later Life and Legacy
In 1560, Picot inherited the lordship of Russy from his uncle, Jean Picot. He died on March 7, 1578, and was buried in the churchyard of Mesnil-au-Val.
The "Journal of Gilles Picot"
Picot's "Journal," written from 1549 to 1562, provides an invaluable glimpse into the life of a rural nobleman in 16th-century Cotentin. The original manuscript, discovered in the archives of Saint-Pierre-Église Castle, contained over 41,000 lines. While only a fragment survives, the remaining text has been published in four volumes (Éditions des champs, 1993-1994).
