Cheval Mallet

In the folklore of western France, particularly within the Vendée, Poitou, and the Pays de Retz region surrounding Lac de Grand Lieu, the Cheval Mallet (or Malet) is attested as a fabulous and malevolent equine entity. Manifesting primarily at night, the creature is described as a physically striking steed—appearing either white or black—that presents itself fully saddled and bridled to the observer. Its modus operandi involves tempting travelers exhausted by long journeys to mount it. According to local legends, those unwary enough to ride the beast are typically abducted or killed, never to return. Survival is rare and explicitly contingent upon specific apotropaic safeguards, such as the possession of a "travel price" or a protective religious talisman, most notably the medal of Saint Benedict.

Beyond the narrative tradition, the figure of the horse was central to a specific festivity in the commune of Saint-Lumine-de-Coutais, known variously as the feast of the horse Merlette, Merlet, or Mallet. This event appears to have served a complex social function, combining military, cathartic, and carnival-esque elements centered on a performance around an oak tree featuring an actor costumed as the horse. The ritualistic nature of the celebration drew the ire of ecclesiastical authorities, who viewed it with suspicion, leading to its official prohibition in 1791.