Visit to Saint-André-de-Valborgne
FR - Located almost to hours drive from Uzès, a stone's throw from Lozère, Saint-André-de-Valborgne is well worth a visit.
Nestled in the heart of the Cévennes, in the Haute Gardonnenque region, the commune runs alongside the Gardon de Saint-Jean river (which rises at the top of the Vallée Borgne below the Peyre Agude, at 1,102 m), and is also cooled by another watercourse, the Valat de Roumégous.
Starting from the small village square, near the griffon fountain (renowned for the purity of its water and one of the five fountains in the commune), a stroll through the historic centre promises a wealth of discoveries.
The heritage of Saint-André-de-Valborgne, a place mentioned as early as the year 1000 under the name of Sancto Andresi de Valbornia, is as rich in terms of architecture as it is in terms of local produce, with chestnut cultivaton, introduced by monks in the Cévennes valleys in the Middle Ages.
Among the historical heritage of the area, we should first mention the church of Saint-André, whose origins date back to the 11th century and which is part of the Romanesque church circuit, an itinerary that takes you on a journey of discovery to Molezon, Saint-Marcel-de-Fontfouillousse, Saint-Flour-du-Pompidou, Barre-des-Cévennes, Sainte-Croix-Vallée-Française and Notre-Dame de Valfrancesque La Boissonnade.
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The major events in the history of Saint-André-de-Valborgue: After Languedoc was annexed to France in 1229 and the Treaty of Meaux was signed, the turmoil of the Hundred Years' War and the Reformation shook the commune, as did the Camisard revolt and the French Revolution. Briefly renamed Valorgne-du-Gard during the First Republic (from 1792), Saint-André-de-Valborgne welcomed Belgian refugees at the start of the First World War and Spanish Republicans during the Second World War.
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The 11th-century Pont Vieux, one of the village's earliest buildings, offers a splendid view of Saint-André and the Gardon River. The square clock tower and the imposing fortified house, listed as a historic monument since 1979, whose origins probably date back to the early 17th century, complete the panorama.
A short distance from the village, on the road leading to the Col du Pompidou, is the Nogaret castle (rebuilt in the 17th century), a listed historic monument since 1984, the Barbuts castle (now a private residence like the Nogaret castle), two beautiful reminders of Saint-André-de-Valborgne's past, and, overlooking the Borgne valley, the ruins of the Folhaquier castle, in the hamlet of the same name, which recalls the deadly encounters of the Hundred Years' War...
Good to know: To make the most of your visit, why not follow the trail that will guide you through the cobbled streets and other alleys of the town and tell you about the epic history of silk and the tanneries in the Calquière district?
Source, more information: Saint-André-de-Valborgne, Cévennes National Park, Cévennes Ecomuseum, Tourisme Gard.com, Romanesque Churches Route, pop. culture.gouv. Also worth visiting: La Maison de l'Eau in Les Plantiers.