The Museum of Fresnay's headgears on the Sarthe

The Museum is in the poterne of the ancient fortress (XI^Ème-XV^Ème Centuries) situated on a cape which dominates the sinuous class of the Sarthe. The poterne is formed by two round, leaky towers of narrow murderesses which are gathered by the building which sheltered formerly the harrow and the machinery of the drawbridge.
The Museum has a collection of 101 headgears, among which 35 of the Sarthe which date the XIX^Ème Century and of the beginning of the XX^Ème And 66 native miniatures, for the most part of the West of France.
In the Sarthe, towards 1880, the young ladies did hair of a so narrow hat that looked by face they seemed not to wear it. This hat loosened largely cheeks, while the previous headgears ( the bonnette) masked them. This innovation was criticized by the old women who claimed that it was there a provocation of the youth to be kissed; where from the name of this headgear the "embrasse - moi-vite" or " biset ".
This hat evolved very fast , because the women had difficulties accommodating their hair in a so small pocket. Then, the bottom gets bigger, then the pass and the edges decreased in width. The bottom took the name of "pancake".
The motives chosen to furnish the bottom were henceforth grouped by multiple of seven and at the farmers becomes established a certain rule to wear such headgear for such definite circumstance. The number of flowers embroidered on the hats of the handmaids was always to be superior to that of the present flowers on the hat of their boss. The less flowers were numerous, the more they were big and worked.
The working headgear of the most wide-spread cotton fabric is the " gouline ". It was used in a common way in the works of fields and by many simple or poor people constantly. It consisted of a bottom of ornament, the " gouline " has never claimed to be able to be luxurious. The old women wore it pushed without favour, while the young people put it quite behind, the clear ears and the sometimes floating reins in the neck.

Partial sight of the collection.

Collection of headgears of "pancakes"