A small village was born. It was named Cathedra (a word meaning seat or rest place or refuge). This name is to be found in the oldest Carta going back to the XIIth century. Later it became Cadiera in the old Provençal dialect, Cadeira: a synonymous of chair, and finally Cadière.
As it is stated in Father AMARGIER’s recent historical work,the Bishop of Marseilles conceded its rights to the St Côme and Damien’s chapel and the surrounding lands to the monks of St Victor’s Abbey who began to clear and cultivate it.This act was registered on October 31st 977.
However there is another hypothesis ! The name could find its origin from the nearby fields planted with juniper trees called “CADE” in the Provençal dialect. As it is stated in Father AMARGIER’s recent historical work,the Bishop of Marseilles conceded its rights to the St Côme and Damien’s chapel and the surrounding lands to the monks of St Victor’s Abbey who began to clear and cultivate it.This act was registered on October 31st 977.
Then, there were quarrels with “La Maison des Baux” former owners of the territory. However, little by little the village grew and developed under the peaceful domination of the monks of St Damien’s.
As early as the end of the XIth century it became a parish including two rural chapels=St Cyr and St Jean.
In 1015 the “Comte de Provence” gave his rights to part of the territory of La Cadière to St Victor’s monastery.The latter received other gifts from wealthy people and from the “Seigneurs des Baux” who,as they were always short of money, paid their debts by giving away pieces of land in places such as La Cadière,Ceyreste and La Ciotat.
In the XIIIth century, La Cadière had its house of “The Holy Spirit”; a religious brotherhood managed this first charity establishment. Later on, it became a local institution and one of the most important branches of the Municipal Corporation.
In 1365 and 1390 Hugues, Comte des Baux yelded all the rights he had to La Cadière. So, after several centuries it was the end of the domination of “La Maison des Baux”. Thus, La Cadière was only owned by St Victor’s Abbey, its first and strongest possession.
In 1508 the parish church of St André was erected. The cross of St André appears on La Cadière’s coat of arms.
Towards 1554-1555 a papal brief allowed the community and the town council to share and sell the land of St Côme, St Damien, St Cyr, Le Plan de la Mer(where farming and cultivation had already begun) to several inhabitants.
Near the “Porte Mazarine”stood the house in which King Charles IX, his court, the Queen Mother, young Henri (future Henri IV) lived when they travelled through the country in 1584.
In 1566 the “Pénitents Blancs” settled in Ste Magdeleine’s chapel.
We know that in 1615 Captain Boyer owned a large piece of land on the territory of Bandol including the islands. Thes pieces of land are established as a sub-fief.
In 1633 the “Pénitents Noirs” settled in the “Miséricorde Chapel”. Several other chapels were then founded. Among them “St Catherine’s” (hence the origin of the name of the”Capelanié” district.
In 1649 – 1650 as the plague devastated the surrounding towns,several families took refuge on the land of La Cadière which had not been infested thanks to the sanitary precautions of its magistrates who put the immigrants in quarantine in huts in “La Madrague”.
Towards the XIVth century the ramparts of La Cadière had only one gate called “Porte St Jean”. It’s the gate leading to the church through Auguste Charlois street.
In 1657, after the opening of the old gates of “Cavailhon” ans “La Colle”, St Victor’s Abbaye allowed the opening of a fourth gate called “Porte Mazarine”(opposite the POST OFFICE).
In 1666 Pierre de Puget,bishop of Marseilles,limited the rights of the”Holy Spirit House”.
In 1680 the “Consuls” established a rule for the organization of processions to the rural chapels.
At that time, thanks to its famous preachers and monks, the village became an intellectual centre for the area.
In 1686 there was an arrangement between the Boyer family of Bandol and the Abbot of St Victor’s with a view to create a borough and a parish.
Hence Bandol was born (the act of the foundation of Bandol was signed in 1715). For the first time the Bandol wine is mentioned.In all ancient documents the rural district has been named, in succession, Bendorinum (1343) Bendorin(1414) Bendor(1613) Bandol(1715). In 1749 Bandol was definitely separated from La Cadière and became an independent village.
1720-1721 the plague devastating Provence reached Bandol. But once more La Cadière was spared.
Until the “1789 Revolution” La Cadière was governed by a town council made up of 2 Consuls and 6 councillors to help them and by a baillit and later of a provost (a representative of the Abbot of St Victor’s). Thisprovost dealt with police matters and income taxes.The inhabitants of La Cadière enjoyed privileges such as assembling in parliament and making local statutes called “Capitouls”.
In 1742 the Lord Abbot of St Victor’s gave permission to build the rural Churchyard of St Cyr.
The last Abbot of St Victor’s who was the spiritual and temporal landlord of La Cadière was a Prince of Lorraine.He died in 1788.
The brotherhoods of “Pénitents” which had been suppressed in 1790 were reorganized in La Cadière in 1825.The trade guilds had existed since the XVIth century.
1793-1794 “9 Floreal, 9 Ventose An II de la République” : The possessions of the church and of the exiled gentry were sold as national properties.An inventory of the sacred vases and other silver plates from the different chapels of La Cadière was made, then they were sold to Le Beausset.
The church of St Cyr became a parish in 1808 and in 1825 the hanlets of St Cyr and Les Lecques became independent.
XIXth century :
The history of La Cadière followed more or less the contemporary history of the nation.
The former culture and industries (everlasting flowers, narcissus, anemones, hazel-nuts, dried figs , capers ) disappeared gradually. The culture of the olive declined. (The big frosts of 1929 and of 1956). From the numerous oil mills of La Cadière (probably 19 up to the XIXth century)only one remains in the St Come district.
The cultivation of wheat and other cereals which had been abandoned for a long time started up again.
After the phyloxera crisis a new vineyard was planted allowing farmers to make a choice wine and on November 18th 1941 the “AOC Bandol” was born.
The first world war was cruelly felt in La Cadière. 62 soldiers died in action.
On August 20th 1944 La Cadière was liberated by its own people helped by an unit of “Spahis” from De Lattre de Tassigny army a few days before Toulon and Marseille.