54-67 DESTINATIONS ANGLAIS 2015_SDF2015_FR 05/05/15 13:13 Page63
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DESTINATION TERROIR SAINT-GILLES / BEAUCAIRE
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Prestigiouspast of Saint-Gilles A transit town in the Middle Ages, Saint-Gilles is a quiet city with a wealth of unique archaeological heritage and typical Camargue traditions.
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town of pilgrimage, SaintGilles grew up in the Middle Ages around the figure who gave his name to the town and to the abbeychurch, where he is supposed to be buried. At that time Saint-Gilles was a major port in the South of France and a strategic point for crusaders and pilgrims travelling to Rome and the Holy Land, as well as for trade with the Middle East. While the saint has lost some of his notoriety, the town remains a staging point on St James’ Way to Santiago de Compostela, and its abbey-church still bears the signs of its prestigious past. Its superb façade has three portals separated by fully carved columns, whose layout was inspired by the triumphal arches of Ancient Rome. This jewel of Romanesque art of the lower Rhône depicts passages from the Gospel
and the Bible in the various styles of the sculptors who worked on its decoration in the 12th century. Partially destroyed during the wars of religion and rebuilt in the 17th century, the abbey has conserved its tombs, statures and effigies. The city has other vestiges of its rich medieval past, including several Romanesque houses. The most famous of these in Languedoc is the ‘Maison Romane’. Hidden behind its superb façade in cut stone, its large doors and lintels, there are a number of museum rooms devoted to archaeology and regional ethnology. Saint-Gilles is also known for its Camargue spirit, displayed at the many bullfighting events that take place during the summer season, Camargue races in the arena, bull-running in the streets, where you really sense the heartbeat of the city. This is true at the peach and apricot feria at the end of June and the feast of Saint-Gilles in early September. A short tour of the port, where the trading ships have been replaced by pleasure craft, may incite you to discover the Camargue in an original way, via the canal from Rhône to Sète. You can even take the boat to Beaucaire, another important centre of river tourism. ◗ SUDDEFRANCE - 63 -
SAINT-GILLES
TO SEE/BEAUCAIRE, CITY OF ART AND HISTORY Beaucaire partly owes its rich past to the Rhône River that runs through it. Located on the river and on the Via Domitia, the city was granted the privilege of holding an annual fair by king Louis XI. The week-long fair, la Foire de la Madeleine, gradually spread its fame around the Mediterranean and even throughout Europe, boosting the development of the town, which grew from 8,000 to … 100,000 inhabitants! In the area of Place de la République, lined with arcaded houses, two lovely townhouses bear witness to this period. As do the dimensions of the Church of Notre-Dame des Pommiers, a huge edifice with a curved façade. Beautiful vestiges remain of Beaucaire castle, like the polygonal tower, the round tower and ramparts overlooking the city. Labelled a “City of art and history”, Beaucaire is attractive because of its heritage, but also because its streets and alleys have drawn craftsmen, ceramists, embroiderers, leatherworkers, basket weavers and stained glass makers, adding extra charm. Next to Lamour canal, Beaucaire has as small marina linked to the Rhône. Only a few kilometres away, the trip through the garrigue, to Saint-Roman Abbey is a pleasure not to be missed. Carved into the limestone rock in the 5th century by monks who occupied the site for nearly 1000 years, this ancient cave monastery is unique in Europe. www.ot-beaucaire.fr www.abbaye-saint-roman.com
www.tourisme.saint-gilles.fr Musée de la Maison Romane. Tel. +33 (0)4 66 87 40 42.