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Translation to be reviewed. This page is a translation of the French original, which remains the reference. Read the French version

From Clairac to the world

In the footsteps of Paul Brochequin

From Clairac to Rotterdam, by way of Switzerland, Frankfurt and London: the journey of a Protestant tailor after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, stage by stage. Each stage says where the information comes from and what is established. [G]

The stages

Route of Paul Brochequin, from Clairac to Rotterdam (1688-1707) Map of western Europe: a plum line links, in the order of the story, Clairac, Geneva, Lausanne, La Neuveville, Schaffhausen, Frankfurt, London and Rotterdam, numbered 1 to 8. ClairacGenevaLausanneLa NeuvevilleSchaffhausenFrankfurtLondonRotterdam
Base map: Natural Earth (public domain). The order is that of the story; the Frankfurt date is discussed at stage 6.

  1. 1. Clairac

    1688 at the latest

    Status: Confirmed

    Paul Brochequin, a tailor, leaves Clairac. Claude Martin lists him among the town’s emigrants, “in Holland”.

    Source: Claude Martin’s list of emigrants [L]; Frankfurt register extracted by Claude Martin [G]

  2. 2. Geneva

    13 June 1688

    Status: To be checked

    Paul, written here Brosequin or Boursequin, is in Geneva.

    Source: entry in the Huguenot Refuge database reported by Glenys, not reread (site unreachable)

  3. 3. Lausanne

    15 June 1688 (certificate)

    Status: Confirmed

    A certificate is issued to him in Lausanne on 15 June: the Frankfurt register mentions it. He had therefore crossed the Pays de Vaud.

    Source: relief register of the French Reformed church of Frankfurt (Institut für Stadtgeschichte Frankfurt am Main, Französisch-reformierte Gemeinde 79, p. 41), document sent by Glenys Bolland

  4. 4. La Neuveville

    23 June 1688 (certificate of 15 June)

    Status: To be checked

    On the shore of Lake Biel, he presents a certificate dated 15 June.

    Source: entry in the Huguenot Refuge database reported by Glenys, not reread (site unreachable)

  5. 5. Schaffhausen

    23 June 1688

    Status: To be checked

    Schaffhausen, on the Rhine, is the last Swiss stop before Germany.

    Source: entry in the Huguenot Refuge database reported by Glenys, not reread (site unreachable)

  6. 6. Frankfurt

    2 July 1688

    Status: Confirmed

    “Paul Brousseguin, tailor, of Clairac” is given relief by the French church, just before “Jean Pigos, dyer, of Clairac”, his companion (the Pegues record). The original register, which spells him “Broursequin”, records 2 florins for the two of them, 1 each; coming from Clairac, they are going to Holland, “with a certificate from Lausanne of 15 June”. Claude Martin’s extract places them under 10 May 1688: probably a copying error, since 10 May comes before the certificate of 15 June.

    Source: relief register of the French Reformed church of Frankfurt (Institut für Stadtgeschichte Frankfurt am Main, Französisch-reformierte Gemeinde 79, p. 41), document sent by Glenys Bolland; extract by Claude Martin [G]

  7. 7. London

    1 March 1702

    Status: baptism Confirmed; identity Probable

    The French church of Leicester Fields baptises Charles, son of Paul Brochequin, tailor, and Marie Madelene Pommies. The baptism is confirmed; that this tailor is the man from Clairac is very probable (same first name, same trade).

    Source: register published by the Huguenot Society, Quarto Series, vol. XXIX, p. 82, from the extract sent by Glenys

  8. 8. Rotterdam

    25 October 1705 and 31 August 1707

    Status: Probable

    The Walloon church baptises Ester, then Marie, daughters of Paul Brochequin and Marie Paumier (Pounnier); in 1707 the witness is Daniel Loches, from a Clairac family. This Paul is very probably the tailor from Clairac.

    Source: Rotterdam city archives, baptisms of the Walloon church (Open Archives 1705 index, 1707: year only); days according to Glenys

European cultural route

In the footsteps of the Huguenots and the Waldensians

Recognised by the Council of Europe in 2013, this walking route runs from southern France and Piedmont to Hesse, crossing Switzerland from Geneva to Schaffhausen: it partly follows Paul Brochequin’s path. [W72] [W73]

The route in Switzerland The route in Germany

Further reading

All the sources, the spellings of the name and what remains to be proved are in the Brochequin record. A Pierre Brochequin, married in Amsterdam in 1708, was no doubt a relative: the link is written nowhere.

The route on the map Switzerland Germany England Netherlands

Sources

  • [L] Claude Martin, “Emigrés de CLAIRAC en Agenois Province de Guyenne”, typed list, 3 pages, date unknown — facsimile and transcription
  • [G] Claude Martin, typed records of registers: G02: refugees from Clairac in Germany, England, America, Holland, Switzerland and Ireland; G03: refugees from Clairac given relief in Frankfurt (registers of the French Reformed Church); G04: people from Clairac who took refuge in Dublin after the Revocation; G05: Frankfurt registers and deeds of the notaries of Clairac; G15: Huguenots in England and Ireland, from the publications of the Huguenot Society of London. Claude Martin’s archives (records and original documents: Claude Martin’s record extracts)
  • [W72] Hugenotten- und Waldenserpfad e.V. (in German), “Kulturroute des Europarats”: route recognised by the Council of Europe in 2013, certified again in 2017, 2021 and 2025, accessed 8 November 2026: hugenotten-waldenserpfad.eu
  • [W73] Association VIA, “Sur les pas des Huguenots et des Vaudois du Piémont”: a Council of Europe cultural route running from southern France and Piedmont to Hesse, crossing Switzerland from Geneva to Schaffhausen, accessed 8 November 2026: www.via-huguenots.ch