Gignac
Gignac
Travel guide and tourist information
Travel guide and tourist information
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Common middle valley of the Herault of 4845 inhabitants.
Gignac is a city rich in tradition and history. Local traditions are deeply rooted and perpetuated from generation to generation.
Every year on Ascension Day, the city celebrates the ass Gignac, animal totem city.
Gignac is also a town rich in heritage. You can explore the winding streets of its surprising wealth of facades, gates and fountains and impressive monuments dating to the earliest 13th century.
- Church of Our Lady of Grace and his oratory:
This church is located on a site dating back to the Roman goddess Vesta (goddess of the hearth). The present building dates from the 17th century. His Florentine-style facade was completed in 1648 on the orders of Louis XIII. Sanctuary in miracles, healing is first attested September 8, 1360. The path crosses adjacent dates from the 17th and 19th century. It was restored during the 20th century.
- Commander of Mestre Place:
- Visible vestiges of the medieval ramparts (thirteenth century) and the gates of the town (and Portalet Estagnol). In the Middle Ages, Gignac had eight doors.
- The laundry (nineteenth century).
Only traces of Castrum still visible, dates from the 11th century. This imposing square tower promontory recalls his appearance that Gignac belonged during the Middle Ages in the Diocese of Béziers. Defensive in the beginning, it was reused as a water reservoir in the 19th century.
This is one of the two main arteries of the historic center, atop which stood the church of Saint-Michel, was destroyed during the wars of religion whose location is reported today by a cross.
Parish church Saint-Pierre-aux-Liens and organ gallery of 17th century. Facade and bell tower of the 18th century.
- Place de Verdun / Place de la Victoire
Today is the shopping district of the city with its market on Saturday morning. We see the Fontaine and Molière (eighteenth century) which recalls the passage of the writer and actor in the city.
- This is the second main street of the medieval city.
- Facades 17th and 18th centuries the convent of the Sisters of Notre Dame, the Palais de Justice, the Hospices and the Hotel de Laura (monument). This was the residence of Claude-Daniel de Lauris (1701-1776), illustrates Gignacoise, advisor to the Court of Auditors, who in his "memoirs" gives us a valuable record of life in the city from the 16th to the 18th century. Long forgotten, this book has been reissued.
Last vestige of medieval defenses of the city. One time the city was called "Tourette's" because of the large number of these imposing circular towers that protected the city gates.
Navas House, 18th century facade is decorated with friezes carved with plant motifs that symbolize the wealth of the owner.
Headquarters viguerie *, facade and entrance to the 17th century. (* house, where sat the royal judges in the provinces of Languedoc until the revolution).
Cited as one of the most remarkable bridges French 18th century, it majestically spans the river Herault. Its construction started in 1776 by Bertrand Garripuy last 36 years and will be interrupted during the revolution.
In the late 19th century to combat the epidemic of phylloxera, the irrigation of the plain wine will be organized by the construction of a canal several miles long across the vineyards of the Herault Valley. It crosses the city from the rue du Maréchal Joffre at the bottom of the tower over six hundred feet of underground pipes.
The former hydroelectric plant, located on the banks of the river Herault, is an exemplary witness of the will and courage of a municipality to invest long term comfort of its inhabitants. First a simple pumping system, which from 1860 provisioned Gignac water through a waterwheel in the region called "Meuse".
- "Let's take you time to few hours and go discover a village full of history?". The Intercommunal Tourist Office offers year-round guided tours of Gignac. For groups throughout the year and season for the individual.
- On reservation at the Tourist Office Intercommunal Saint-Guilhem-le-Desert / Valley of the Herault to Gignac: Tel. +33 4 67 57 58 83 - Fax. +33 4 67 57 67 95 - Email: oti@saintguilhem-valleeherault.fr
- Weekly Market: Every Saturday morning.
- Local traditions are deeply rooted and perpetuated from generation to generation. Every year in May, the city celebrates the Ascension celebrating Martin donkey, the animal totem.
- Day of the donkey: The legend says that on the day of the Ascension in the year 719, a donkey is awakened by his braying Gignacoise while Saracens were ready to invade the village. The ass and have pushed back the invasion. Therefore, he became the animal totem Gignac. Each year, this colorful event is celebrated on Ascension Day. The evening before to 19h, the donkey represented with a large frame covered with a blue dress topped by a head whose jaws clashing noisily, is paraded through the streets surrounded by costumed dancers. The mimes and dances begin when the sound of fife and drum and will continue on Ascension Day.
- Sénibelet: The "Sénibelet" commemorates the heroic resistance of the inhabitants of Gignac face of Saracen invaders. This fight occurs mimed along to the party of the donkey, the Ascension Day. The man representing the buckwheat dons several hats cotton before placing a heavy metal helmet on his head. Its only weapon a long stick checkerberry representing a sword. The Gignacoise meanwhile, were armed with roots "trentanel" from the surrounding scrublands and a cushion of straw to protect the back of the blows given by the "buckwheat".
| ATTRACTIONS, LEISURES AND ACTIVITES AROUND |
- Les Gorges de l'Hérault
- Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert
- Lake Salagou
- Circus Mourèze
- Circus Navacelles
- Cave Clamouse?
- Specialties: Wines - Olives - Olive oil - Honey
- Sports & Recreation: Caving-Canyoning - Canoeing - Hiking - Biking - Karting - Fishing - Quad - Paintball?
 | Gignac |  |
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 | Fountain |  |
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 | Gate Estagnol |  |
| |  | Rue de la Court |  |
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 | River Herault |  |
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| www.saintguilhem-valleeherault.fr | Office de Tourisme Intercommunal |
| www.cc-vallee-herault.fr | Valley Community of Communes of Hérault |
| Tuesday 14 February | Day
 | Night
 | | Min. 1°C - Max. 10°C |
| | Wednesday 15 February | Day
 | Night
 | | Min. 4°C - Max. 9°C |
| | Thursday 16 February | Day
 | Night
 | | Min. 1°C - Max. 11°C |
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 | Vacances à la ferme Languedoc Montagnac |  | | Quiet, Relaxation & Serenity, Softness of Southern Living. Our farm complex is defined primarily as a Haven of Peace and Well-Being and offers peaceful holiday in the countryside. We... | | Located 23 km from Gignac | From 15 € to 23 € per day |
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