"From voices to ways
On this gentle route, where time passes to the rhythm of the comings and goings of walkers, an interpretation trail punctuates the route with its 8 markers. Spread over 12 km, this multimedia trail evokes the past of the old Nîmes-Le Vigan railway. Called "Voies en Voix", this itinerary highlights the rural heritage of the area in an original way. With the help of flash-codes in particular, you will discover short animated films, dialogues with local personalities, slide shows, all orchestrated by a pleasant soundtrack. A "heritage on the move" which is revealed with surprise thanks to these anecdotes which enliven the tour. Thus, the Buffet de la Gare de Sommière is displayed in black and white and takes us back to the end of the 19th century. The "Bois de Massereau" marker tells the story of the Massereau estate crossed by the line. At Junas, you will learn more about the "Mare de Cabanis" and its extraordinary biodiversity. Click on the code relating to the "Cent Noyers" in Congénies and you will learn what a "mazet" is and how it was used in the art of living in the past. The Vaunage plain and its geography are illustrated on the "Olivette du Moulet" marker, while the "Collège de Calvisson" marker reminds us of the time when steam engines and then railcars gave rhythm to the lives of the workers and schoolchildren of the time. Relive the effervescence of the Calvisson station and its role in the wine trade thanks to the terminal located near the boulodrome in Calvisson. And finally, in Villevieille, you will understand the importance of the Corbières stream in the daily life of the people of the time.
Sommières, certified as a "Petites Cités de Caractère
A medieval town built on the banks of the Vidourle, Sommières has the charm of a small southern town where time seems to stand still on hot summer days. The medieval vestiges can be seen in the narrow streets, the arcades and the squares where the coolness can be appreciated, and the castle is its most beautiful testimony. An 11th century fortress, it is in itself an invitation to travel through ten centuries of defensive architecture by observing the keep and its shirt, the dwellings, the bastion and the false braie. Relive the history of the castle and that of Sommières thanks to the digital animations located in the royal chapel Saint-Sauveur. Listed as a Historic Monument since 2010, the thousand-year-old site is waiting for your visit. Don't miss crossing the Roman bridge: built in the 1st century to facilitate access to Toulouse, it was embedded in the 13th century by the houses. As such, it is one of the few inhabited bridges in Europe, like the famous Ponte Vecchio in Florence. Of the 21 arches that made up the bridge, 7 are still visible today, the others having been absorbed by the urban fabric. The bridge has been restored several times and spans the capricious Vidourle, whose floods, the Vidourlades, are sometimes dantesque.
Interpretation trail "Garrigue gourmande
Continue to wind along the Vaunage greenway to Congénies. Benefiting from an attractive geographical position on the Vaunage territory, Congénies exploits its particularly fertile land in the traditional cultivation of vines and olives. A generous nature which, with the action of Man, knows how to be fertile. It is also to underline this natural wealth and its preservation, that an interpretation trail has been initiated in the commune. The "Garrigue gourmande", whose "Gard pleine nature" label underlines its plant identity, takes you on a 1.5 hour walk in the garrigue, where an arboretum punctuates the path with its Mediterranean species.
Calvisson, land of traditions
In Calvisson, embark on a journey through the land, the land of men steeped in wine-making traditions. At the Oenople de Calvisson, installed on the site of a cooperative cellar still in activity, centuries of wine history are retraced in an incredible museography. Three areas are open to the public. From the greenway you can access the Vinopanorama fresco: a monumental work of art, it presents, in 9 paintings, the 27 centuries of the history of the vine and wine in the area. Beyond this, the Clos des Vignerons, open all year round, is a playful garden where the grape varieties grown in the region are presented, as well as games to familiarise the public with the vocabulary of wine. Finally, the museographic space in the old barrel cellar traces the history of wine over the centuries, supported by archaeological and ethnographic evidence. A playful journey where the senses are awakened to discover the richness and complexity of wine.
In the heart of the town, take the time to discover the Maison du Boutis. It presents a rich collection of old boutis from the 18th and 19th centuries. A place of conservation of traditions and know-how par excellence, the museum has been awarded the label of Immaterial Cultural Heritage in France. A showcase for regional memory, the museum highlights the techniques of quilting in Basse Occitanie. This art of "embroidery with bumps" comes from medieval traditions and is carried out by experienced embroiderers from royal houses and factories. The motifs, specific to this volume technique, were inspired by legends, flora, historical events or even Indian motifs. Even today, these floral, interlacing, fruit and foliage designs can be learned in courses organised by the museum.Caveirac
Caveirac can be described in colours. The green of the holm oaks and their acorns, the honeyed white of the dry stones of the capitelles, the black of the bulls huddled in the manades, the red of the cherries in the orchards, and the buff mixture of the glazed tiles that adorn the roofs of the "Petit Versailles", a castle whose splendour is no longer to be seen. Here is Caveirac, the historic heart of the Provençal garrigue, the first village in the Vaunage. Proud of its identity and its traditions (bullfighting in particular), Caveirac invites you to discover its riches, those of its past as well as those of its present, its dynamism in bringing its authenticity to life in this Gardois territory.
