SAINT REMY DE PROVENCE - Pèr draio e pèr Camin in mountain bike

14 points of interest

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  Geology

  Coussoul of the Petite Crau

  The coussoul is a steppe-style pastoral lawn, whose rough vegetation grows on very fine soil. This soil covers pebbles from the old bed of the Durance. Less than a meter deep, there is a layer of pebbles, cemented naturally by a crust of mineral salts, called "pudding". Within the Petite Crau, it is possible to find spaces of coussouls well preserved, giving it an exceptional ecological richness.

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  Elevage et pastoralisme

  Remains of pastoralism

  La Petite Crau is a land of pastoralism. The extensive grazing of goats and sheep is a guarantor of biodiversity, preventing the encroachment and closing of environments, and at the same time contributing to the fight against fire. Herds appreciate the vegetation of the coussouls, as evidenced by this old sheepfold, now in ruins. ;

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  Patrimony and history

  The Bastide

  Inaugurated in 2006 by the association "Testimony and Heritage", the Heritage Museum exhibits everyday objects given by the inhabitants of the village of Eyragues who do not wish to see the disappearance of local heritage. There are stories about village life, paintings, furniture, traditional costumes and agricultural tools and crafts.

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  Elevage et pastoralisme

  The sheepfold

  Built in 1920 by;Jean-Ferdinand Michel, the sheepfold testifies to the pastoral life of the village of Eyragues. This sheepfold was home to a herd, which numbered up to 300 animals. The grandson of Jean-Ferdinand Michel practiced transhumance until 1985, and the sheepfold was used to keep a few heads until 1993. Today, the building has been rehabilitated in multi-purpose room by the municipality of Eyragues.

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  Patrimony and history

  The poets park

  With this park the city of Eyragues pays homage to seven poets, whose works have allowed the maintenance of the Provençal language. There is a statue of Frédéric Mistral and the busts of Joseph Roumanille, Théodore Aubanel, Jean Brunet, Anselme Mathieu, Paul Giéra and Alphonse Tavan. In the background stands the Bastide, mansion, which houses a meeting room and the Heritage Museum.

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  Elevage et pastoralisme

  Saint-Véran Cross

  Saint-Véran is the patron saint of shepherds and transhumance. North of Eyguières, there was once a chapel dedicated to him and a cross, still existing. Saint-Véran, bishop of Cavaillon, protector of the flocks, is known since the 11th century. for having chased the Tarasque, who decimated the herds in the valley of the Durance.

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  Produits du terroir

  Vines and olive groves

  As in the Alpilles, the farmers of Eyragues offer a range of local diversified products, with among others the wine, the olives and their oils which represent a consequent part of the production. The plantations of vines and olive trees are thus structuring elements of the territory, offering agricultural landscapes open on the different neighboring massifs.

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  Elevage et pastoralisme

  Abeiè path

  The route of the transhumance passed by the Abeiè path, Provençal name given to the transhumant herds. The width of the path was adapted to let them pass. In Noves, this path is called "Grande Draille". After the 2nd World War, there were 10,000 ewes, just on Noves, grazed during the year on the hill of Rougadou and on the flanks of Petite Crau.

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  Patrimony and history

  Saint-Baudile church

  The construction of a church dedicated to Saint Baudile was ordered in the 10th century, so as to enlarge an already existing chapel. Saint Baudile was a Roman legionnaire converted to Christianity, who suffered martyrdom in 300 AD in Nîmes. Since then, he has become the patron saint of the Noves village. This Romanesque church occupies the site of an ancient place of worship, which was in the center of a Roman villa. ;

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  Elevage et pastoralisme

  Lagnel Square

  It is on the Lagnel square that a part of the transhumant herds passed the night while waiting to cross the Durance, to leave towards the mountain pastures. Noves remained for a long time anchored in pastoralism and cereal crops: each inhabitant had a few sheep and each house had a sheepfold to shelter them. It is only from the nineteenth century, that the activity of the town is moving towards market gardening and fruit trees.

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  Water and rivers

  The Anguillon

  The Anguillon is a river of 20 km, which has its source in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, at the foot of the Alpilles. It flows from south to north, to go to the Durance, near Châteaurenard. This river has played an important role over the centuries, providing the commune of Noves a refuelling point for livestock transhumance, but also the water needed for irrigation of vegetables and fruit trees.

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  Produits du terroir

  The apple tree

  In the 19th century, the Noves’economy leaves in small side of the pastoralism, to turn to the gardening and the culture of fruit trees. Since then, the south lowland of the village, where the Anguillon River flows, has specialized in apples production. Along this stream, there are many farms that produce mainly Golden and Gala varieties.

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  Elevage et pastoralisme

  Notre-Dame-de-Vacquières

  In the 15th century, several farmhouses and sheepfolds were built in this area to accommodate herds of more than 1000 animals. Then came the construction of Notre-Dame-de-Vacquieres chapel and its hermitage This chapel is located near a source to which one attributes healing virtues, and a jas: a sheepfold allowing herds to shelter during the wintering period. From there, the flocks came down to drink in Anguillon.

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  Elevage et pastoralisme

  La Petite Crau

  La Petite Crau presents an ecosystem close to its big sister, the Crau, lowland located south of the Alpilles. The landscape is characterized by hedges, groves and old trees surrounding still some natural meadows, typical of the coussouls. More and more plots are being cultivated today, the presence of herds is essential to maintain their ecosystem, because pasture is the only way to enhance the pastoral lawns of the coussouls of Petite Crau.