A bit of history...
The history of Saint-Jean-de-Valériscle began some 20 centuries before our era, when prehistoric humans lived in a cave on the slopes of the village near the Auzonnet River.
Later, the Romans left physical and written traces of their passage, with a major Roman road crossing the Cévennes, the Regordane Way, passing about ten kilometers away.
In the 19th century, the village's economic activity was divided between agriculture (onions, chestnuts), sericulture (silkworms) and coal, whose deposits began to be exploited in the middle of the century.
Meanwhile, the village saw its population fall by nearly a thousand following the creation of the commune of Des Mages, which was split off from the hamlet of Saint-Jean-de-Valériscle. In 1882, the commune of Molières-sur-Cèze was created from part of the commune's territory as well as parts of the territories of Meyrannes and Robiac-Rochessadoule.
In the 20th century, sericulture disappeared and mining ceased around 1960.
The village then turned to tourism with the creation of a campsite and a swimming pool.
Olive oil production was revived with the creation of a cooperative mill in Les Rimes.
Heritage...
Saint-Jean de Valériscle, a commune of 700 inhabitants, is home to a remarkable medieval quarter, “Le Barry,” which features protective fortifications and the use of intertwined houses as a means of defense.
Le Barry and the Tournelle quarter, around the Romanesque church, have been restored, as has the Place Pierre Agniel.
The renovation of two old houses by the municipality has enabled the creation of the Museum of Coats of Arms and the Auberge de la Tour.
This district is remarkable for its medieval houses forming ramparts and its narrow streets. Its vaulted passageways lead to a small square bordered on one side by its Romanesque church and on the other by the castle.
At the bottom of the village, the metal viaduct spans the Auzonnet River and bears witness to the mining activity in the valley, which generated significant rail traffic on the Le Martinet-Beaucaire line.
Two neighborhoods are worth a visit: Pomier, which offers beautiful
Close to the campsite and the swimming pool, this neighborhood invites us to take sublime walks through the chestnut trees towards Ribot or La Cadenède. It was in this neighborhood that Geneviève de Gaulle was born on October 25, 1920. It was in this neighborhood that Geneviève de Gaulle was born on October 25, 1920.
The Nougarède neighborhood is home to a glassworks, the oldest industrial building in the town.
Finally, the town is home to the Musée des Blasons, the only museum of its kind in France, created on the initiative of the members of an association, the Chevaliers du Monos, and in particular its founder Régis Germain and his wife, who patiently built up an original collection of more than 1,200 pieces.
Saint-Jean de Valériscle Town Hall
4 Place Pierre Agniel
30960 Saint-Jean de Valériscle
Tel.: 04 66 25 60 41
https://saintjeandevaleriscle.com/
