Les Mages

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Les Mages
Les Mages
Coordinates: 44°13′45″N 4°10′00″E / 44.2292°N 4.1667°E / 44.2292; 4.1667Coordinates: 44°13′45″N 4°10′00″E / 44.2292°N 4.1667°E / 44.2292; 4.1667
Country France
Region Languedoc-Roussillon
Department Gard
Arrondissement Alès
Canton Saint-Ambroix
Intercommunality Vivre en Cévennes
Government
 • Mayor (2008–2014) Jean-Claude Paris
Area
 • Land1 12.69 km2 (4.90 sq mi)
Population (2008)
 • Population2 1,799
 • Population2 Density 140/km2 (370/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code 30152 / 30960
Elevation 138–485 m (453–1,591 ft)
(avg. 186 m or 610 ft)

1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Les Mages is a commune in the Gard department in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France.

Geography

The village of Les Mages lies between Alès and Saint-Ambroix on the CD 904 road, in the Cévennes coal basin, just below the National Forest of Rouvergue in the Cévennes National Park.

It is watered by the Cèze River in the north and the Auzonnet River [1] in the South. As such the town is a member of AB Ceze, the Syndicat Mixte d'Aménagement du Bassin Versant de la Ceze, responsible for the prevention and fight against floods as well as preserving the natural environment.[2]

History

The village was elevated from hamlet to commune (by separation from the nearby Saint-Jean-de-Valériscle village) by a royal ordinance of September 25, 1834, following the increase in population driven by the development of coal mining in the Cevennes basin. The town, Les Mages belongs to the Community of Communes called "Vivre en Cévennes", Living in the Cevennes.

Sights

Several mills whose buildings still bear witness to the sericulture past activity (silkworm farming).

  • Bleton spinning,[3] closed in 1957, rue de l'Eglise.
  • Lacroix spinning,[4] closed in 1855, Bois Redon, Route de Saint Julien de Cassagne.
  • Duclaux spinning,[5] closed in 1889, Melhien Castle.
  • Mazolier spinning,[6] closed in 1884 Castle Melhien Road.
  • Labeille / Villaret spinning,[7] closed in 1885, despite some attempts to restart until 1922, Larnac hamlet.[8]
  • Silhol spinning,[9] closed in 1855, Claux, Melhien hamlet.
  • Martin spinning later oil mill Benoit then Rodier, at last, route de Saint Ambroix.[10]
  • Ayrolette spinning,[11] initially the Gentil paper mill, established in 1660, in the Ayrolette hamlet, route de Saint Ambroix.[10]
  • Blachere spinning, formerly oil mill and later Védrines spinning.[10]

The glass factory Barriere was founded in 1804 to manufacture green glass. After many difficulties, the factory closed its doors in 1850.[10]

On a hill, the "Tourette" dominates the village. It is a simple capitelle[12] limestone and mortar construction, but became the symbol of the village and a replica was built on the roundabout at the entrance of the commune.

The former railway station, on the spur of the small SNCF line from Alès to Bessèges, has been transformed into housing. It witnessed the passing-by of coal trains from Martinet, Saint-Florent-sur-Auzonnet and Saint-Jean-de-Valériscle, joining the main line to Saint Julien de Cassagne. This line was also used to transport the coils of raw silk to Lyon to be woven.

Population

Historical population of Les Mages
Year1836184118461851185618611866187218761881
Population1040112111141247124012031255114011551009
Year1886189118961901190619111921192619311936
Population1089110511351101109711391076114411471028
Year194619541962196819751982199019992008
Population105111251150114511271275149715111799

Personalities

The painter Georges Bauquier, assistant of Fernand Léger, creator of Fernand Léger Museum in Biot, comes from a Les Mages family. In the 1970s he organised in the local village school several exhibitions of high quality. At his request, Nadia Léger, the widow of Fernand Léger, has bequeathed to the town the Woman with a Bird mosaïc, one of Fernand Léger mosaic that adorns the front of the Les Mages Culture Complex.

George Bauquier Complex

In 2006 the Georges Bauquier complex was created,[13] including a theater and a video screening room. In 2008 the travel film festival[14] has been launched and successfully renewed[15] in 2009.

See also

References

  1. ↑ The Auzonnet is calm here at Les Mages
  2. ↑ website Cèze AB
  3. ↑ Bleton on Patrimoine of France
  4. ↑ Lacroix on Patrimoine of France
  5. ↑ Duclaux on Patrimoine of France
  6. ↑ Mazolier on Patrimoine of France
  7. ↑ Labeille / Villaret on Patrimoine of France
  8. ↑ Photos archive Ministry of Culture
  9. ↑ Silhol on Patrimoine of France
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Database Merimee at Ministry of Culture
  11. ↑ Photos archive Ministry of Culture
  12. ↑ Capitelle Les Mages
  13. ↑ Bauquier Complex Program
  14. ↑ Festival Site
  15. ↑ Success confirmed by the Midi-Libre news reporter

External links

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