Calvisson
Encyclopedia
Calvisson is a commune
in the Gard
department in the Languedoc-Roussillon
region
in southern France
.
It lies between Nîmes
, Montpellier
, the Cevennes
and the Camargue
and has a strong Protestant history.
17 km (10.6 mi) west of Nîmes
. It is in the northern foothills of the Vaunage, a fertile valley surrounded by a rim of limestone hills rising to 200 m. The most prominent hill is the Rock of Gachone, which was the site of an important oppidum
, or a fortified town, under the Romans. The natural vegetation is classic garrigue
; today the valley is used for vineyards and horticulture. A tiny stream, the Escattes, flows through the village http://www.the-languedoc-page.com/articles/languedoc-villages-calvisson.htm. Calvisson also includes the hamlets of Sinsans and Bizac.
In 1060, at the time of the domination of Counts de Toulouse
, the name Calvisson appears for the first time. At the time, it was a fortified town surmounted by two towers which covered 2000 m². This fortified town controlled all of the Vaunage
. In 1304 King Philip IV of France
gave to Guillaume de Nogaret
as a fiefdom.
From the 16th century, with the beginnings of Reformation
, Calvisson was divided by the wars of religion
. The village becomes a centre of protestantism. In 1681, the Catholic King Louis XIV
, used his troops to re-convert Protestants. On the 30 June 1685, being Protestant became illegal in Nîmes. The religion moved underground, the paid pastor was replaced by the lay prophet. The wars slowly destroyed the castle which, by the middle of the 17th century is used as stone quarry.
In 1703, Calvisson was embroiled in the war of Camisards. The village was used as a base for the royalist troops in the battle of Nages
against the forces of Jean Cavalier
who was a Protestant prophet. In 1787, the Rock of Gachone which stands above the village is used as triangulation point by Jean-Dominique Cassini for mapping the area.
Bull running happens in Calvisson, according the Carmargues tradition, where no bull gets hurt. The annual event takes place around the 20th July over a period of five days. There are four events, the Abrivado where over ten bulls are run together through the street guided by a group of twelve 'guardians' mounted on white Camargues horses, an Encierro
where one bull is released outside the foyer and finds his own way back to the pen, the Bandido where one bull is run accompanied through the streets, and the Bandido de nuit which is the same thing but after dark. Boys and men run with the bulls and try and separate them from the horses, stop them, and physically turn them away from the horses.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Gard
Gard
Gard is a département located in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region.The department is named after the River Gard, although the formerly Occitan name of the River Gard, Gardon, has been replacing the traditional French name in recent decades, even among French speakers.- History...
department in the Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon is one of the 27 regions of France. It comprises five departments, and borders the other French regions of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Rhône-Alpes, Auvergne, Midi-Pyrénées on the one side, and Spain, Andorra and the Mediterranean sea on the other side.-Geography:The region is...
region
Régions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
in southern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
It lies between Nîmes
Nîmes
Nîmes is the capital of the Gard department in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France. Nîmes has a rich history, dating back to the Roman Empire, and is a popular tourist destination.-History:...
, Montpellier
Montpellier
-Neighbourhoods:Since 2001, Montpellier has been divided into seven official neighbourhoods, themselves divided into sub-neighbourhoods. Each of them possesses a neighbourhood council....
, the Cevennes
Cévennes
The Cévennes are a range of mountains in south-central France, covering parts of the départements of Gard, Lozère, Ardèche, and Haute-Loire.The word Cévennes comes from the Gaulish Cebenna, which was Latinized by Julius Caesar to Cevenna...
and the Camargue
Camargue
The Camargue is the region located south of Arles, France, between the Mediterranean Sea and the two arms of the Rhône River delta. The eastern arm is called the Grand Rhône; the western one is the Petit Rhône....
and has a strong Protestant history.
Geography
Calvisson is a commune in GardGard
Gard is a département located in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region.The department is named after the River Gard, although the formerly Occitan name of the River Gard, Gardon, has been replacing the traditional French name in recent decades, even among French speakers.- History...
17 km (10.6 mi) west of Nîmes
Nîmes
Nîmes is the capital of the Gard department in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France. Nîmes has a rich history, dating back to the Roman Empire, and is a popular tourist destination.-History:...
. It is in the northern foothills of the Vaunage, a fertile valley surrounded by a rim of limestone hills rising to 200 m. The most prominent hill is the Rock of Gachone, which was the site of an important oppidum
Oppidum
Oppidum is a Latin word meaning the main settlement in any administrative area of ancient Rome. The word is derived from the earlier Latin ob-pedum, "enclosed space," possibly from the Proto-Indo-European *pedóm-, "occupied space" or "footprint."Julius Caesar described the larger Celtic Iron Age...
, or a fortified town, under the Romans. The natural vegetation is classic garrigue
Garrigue
Garrigue or phrygana is a type of low, soft-leaved scrubland ecoregion and plant community in the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome. It is found on limestone soils around the Mediterranean Basin, generally near the seacoast, where the climate is ameliorated, but where annual summer...
; today the valley is used for vineyards and horticulture. A tiny stream, the Escattes, flows through the village http://www.the-languedoc-page.com/articles/languedoc-villages-calvisson.htm. Calvisson also includes the hamlets of Sinsans and Bizac.
History
The site is known to have been settled since the Chalcolithic transition (4300–3200 BC)In 1060, at the time of the domination of Counts de Toulouse
Counts of Toulouse
The first Counts of Toulouse were the administrators of the city and its environs under the Merovingians. No succession of such royal appointees is known, though a few names survive to the present...
, the name Calvisson appears for the first time. At the time, it was a fortified town surmounted by two towers which covered 2000 m². This fortified town controlled all of the Vaunage
Vaunage
The Vaunage is an area of southern France made up of the plain and the small hills around Nages. It is known for its oppidum. The Vaunage area is located between Languedoc and Provence and between Sommières and Nîmes...
. In 1304 King Philip IV of France
Philip IV of France
Philip the Fair was, as Philip IV, King of France from 1285 until his death. He was the husband of Joan I of Navarre, by virtue of which he was, as Philip I, King of Navarre and Count of Champagne from 1284 to 1305.-Youth:A member of the House of Capet, Philip was born at the Palace of...
gave to Guillaume de Nogaret
Guillaume de Nogaret
Guillaume de Nogaret or William of Nogaret was councillor and keeper of the seal to Philip IV of France.- Early life :...
as a fiefdom.
From the 16th century, with the beginnings of Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
, Calvisson was divided by the wars of religion
French Wars of Religion
The French Wars of Religion is the name given to a period of civil infighting and military operations, primarily fought between French Catholics and Protestants . The conflict involved the factional disputes between the aristocratic houses of France, such as the House of Bourbon and House of Guise...
. The village becomes a centre of protestantism. In 1681, the Catholic King Louis XIV
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
, used his troops to re-convert Protestants. On the 30 June 1685, being Protestant became illegal in Nîmes. The religion moved underground, the paid pastor was replaced by the lay prophet. The wars slowly destroyed the castle which, by the middle of the 17th century is used as stone quarry.
In 1703, Calvisson was embroiled in the war of Camisards. The village was used as a base for the royalist troops in the battle of Nages
Nages-et-Solorgues
Nages-et-Solorgues is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
against the forces of Jean Cavalier
Jean Cavalier
Jean Cavalier, real name Joan Cavalièr in Occitan, , the famous chief of the Camisards, was born at Mas Roux, a small hamlet in the commune of Ribaute near Anduze .-Early life:...
who was a Protestant prophet. In 1787, the Rock of Gachone which stands above the village is used as triangulation point by Jean-Dominique Cassini for mapping the area.
Demography
Sights
- The church of St Saturnin is 12th Century RomanesqueRomanesque architectureRomanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
and 15th Century Provençal GothicGothic architectureGothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture.... - the Temple is 19th Century neo-classical.
- the Rock of Gachone rises over the village to the west. There were four windmillWindmillA windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
s there, three have been partially restored.
- The beginning of 21st century saw the old railway transformed into Voie Verte- that is a metalled cycleway through the VaunageVaunageThe Vaunage is an area of southern France made up of the plain and the small hills around Nages. It is known for its oppidum. The Vaunage area is located between Languedoc and Provence and between Sommières and Nîmes...
: from CaveiracCaveiracCaveirac is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, through Calvisson and CongéniesCongéniesCongénies is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.It is situated between Nîmes, Montpellier, the Cevennes and the Camargue and has a strong Protestant Quaker history...
to JunasJunasJunas is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
and SommièresSommièresSommières is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.It lies from Nîmes, from Montpellier.-Geography:Sommières is to the south of the garrigues and on the edge of the Vaunage, a wine growing region. It straddles the River Vidourle.-History:...
. This is used by horses, cycles, and pedestrians. The two major roads on the route are avoided by means of bespoke tunnels. - Three of the four windmills for which it was known have been restored.
Events
Encierro
The Running of the Bulls is a practice that involves running in front of a small group of bulls that have been let loose, on a course of a sectioned-off subset of a town's streets...
where one bull is released outside the foyer and finds his own way back to the pen, the Bandido where one bull is run accompanied through the streets, and the Bandido de nuit which is the same thing but after dark. Boys and men run with the bulls and try and separate them from the horses, stop them, and physically turn them away from the horses.