Branoux-the-gash

Branoux-the-Gash is a common French, located in the department of the Gard and the area Languedoc-Roussillon.

Geography

Branoux-the-Gash is a commune which stretches the North-West in South-east along Right Bank of the valley of the Gardon, since the department of the Lozere and until Large-Combe the.
the valley of Gardon is very narrow here and the rare plane surfaces are occupied by working cities and transportation routes: RN 106, railway.
Upstream High-Levade, the dam Cambous created an artificial lake (Lake Cambous) and upstream of this one, arranged a stopping of crest lowering of was believed of Gardon - believed which often struck the town of Alès at the time of the Cevennes episodes.
the commune presents a mountain aspect, the the Cevennes dominating the village of Branoux, where the town hall is, served by D 154. The mountains are covered with chestnuts but the pines gain ground more and more. The communal territory is not integrated into the peripheral zone of the National park of the Cevennes and it is used as zone of hunting, in particular for the Sanglier which is extremely widespread and causes damage in the farms.
the mushroom amateurs can gather also there Cèpe S and Girolles. The hikers can cross the commune on the GR. 44B which follows the peaks which overhang the small valley of Branoux since the collar of the Hut towards Castanet and the borders of Lozere.
the commune is traversed by rivers, often dry in summer period, which join Gardon: Rabalézain which is thrown in the Lake Cambous, Brémo (4 kilometers length) and its affluent Nayzadou which sprinkle Branoux.
the commune of Branoux-the-Gash was born in 1956 from the union from the chief town Branoux and of the working city of Taillades, located downwards in the valley of Gardon.
the village of Branoux is located at the foot of the collar of the Hut, borrowed by the road D 32, on a relatively flat space, the Plain.
Gash Them , extension due to the demographic rise caused by the surge of minors employed in the basin of Large-Combe, is a district built in the valley of Gardon, on Right Bank, and crossed by the RN 106.
Blannaves is a hamlet mainly in ruins, located upstream, in overhang of the Lake Cambous.

Hamlets and Localities

History

the commune of Branoux-the-Gash was born on April 27th, 1956, by an official decree which recognizes the new denomination of the commune, including the two principal entities, Branoux and them Taillades.
the commune joins together several hamlets:
Blannaves , existing priory as of the 11th century. Mention “ Sancti $petri de Blatvans ”, parish of Blannaves, in 1345. In ruins.
Branoux , hamlet of Blannaves, become village of Branoux (Lo Maiz de Branosco, 1346), perhaps of the name of a Gallic man, Brannos , the corbel, follow-up of the suffix Oscu .
Castanet , from which the name would come from the Occitan castanhier , the chestnut.
Gash Them , of the term occitan talhada , gashes it, indicating a wood-cutting, i.e. a place where wood is cut, or a coppice, or even still a notch in the rock, a slit in the rock.

1790: Commune of Blannaves, then attached to the district of Went.
1867: The consul asks for the name change of the commune, “ Branoux being the name of the populeux hamlet of the commune and where the schools and the public edifices are located and religieux ”.
1869: Commune of Branoux; an official decree declares officially that the commune will bear from now on the name of Branoux.
1956: By official decree, the new name of the commune becomes Branoux-the-Gash.

Blazon

the blazon of the commune takes again the emblem of the marquis of Fare, lord of Blannaves. It represents three torches lit on blue bottom.
“ Of azure, with three torches of gold lit of mouths, posed in pal ”.
It comprises a currency: “ Lux nostris, hostibus ignis ”, i.e. “ Light for us others, of fire for our ennemis ”.

Prehistory, antiquity

Of the fossil traces of ferns, petrified forests (silicified tree trunks) and of dinosaurs (impressed in Champclauson) was found on the commune or the common neighbors.
2800 before J.C.: dolmen of Gashes.
Neolithic: rocks punts dug of cups, drains and signs in arches (whose significance is not known) found on the greenhouses located above Blannaves and the Signal of Lichère.
First age of iron (800 before J.C.), of the tombs were discovered on the peak of Caussiers and with the hamlet of Castanet. These tombs consist of four jointed vertical flagstones, surrounded by a circular Tumulus. Sometimes, a stone punt is posed on the trunk consisted the flagstones, then giving him the aspect of a Dolmen.
Towards, installation of the Volques Arécomiques in the surroundings.
the Gallo-Roman presence did not leave apparent traces, except a Roman way.

The Middle Ages

About 1060: A Romance vault is built in Blannaves, in sandstone (coming from careers located below Caussiers), by monks from Marseilles, Saint-Victor abbey.
a strong castle is built on a rocky outcrop with Devêze, the castle of Holy Foix, dominating the valley of Gardon, important crossing point between Languedoc and Gévaudan. One finds vestiges of old medieval ways paved on the heights of Branoux.
One then knows the oldest mentions of the hamlets of the commune: Blannaves, Sancti $petri de Blatvan , feuda gabalorum , 1345, and Branoux, lo maiz of Branosco , 1346.
Blannaves is a parish known since 1345 when there exists a Prieuré, Saint-Pierre de Blannaves (Sancti $petri de Blatvan) as of the 11th century. This priory consists of three masonries: the Romance church, the house curiale and the farm.
At the 14th century, is coseigneurs of Branoux Jean de Ponsono, Raimond Pélegrin and Jean de Montclar.
At the same period, birth of a primitive form of industry (trip hammers and forging mills with fires) with Gash, in the valley of Gardon. One works mines of Fer (today with the abandonment) on the neighbouring heights. One knows also the existence of many mills, especially on the affluents of Gardon.
the Middle Ages marks the beginning of the exploitation of the Châtaignier, local species known since the Roman epoch.

Modern time

16th century: Chapelle S are added on the septentrional face of the priory of Blannaves, upstream of Branoux.
1695: Construction of a motor-road in the valley of Gardon, called “ Richelieu way; ”, connecting Went in Florac; the village of Branoux is connected by a mule track.
Them is marked by the wars of religion. These wars of religion oppose the catholics and the Protestants, the latter being very numerous in the Cevennes. After the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, in 1685, the Protestants raise against the troops of Louis XIV; this war bears the name of “ War of the Camisards ”.
a camisard chief lives in Branoux at the end of the 17th century: Gédéon Laporte. It will be killed in a ambush in 1702. Its head, as that of his/her comrades in arms, will be exposed on the bridge of Anduze.
1703: in February, the church of Blannaves is set fire to by camisards.
1703: at the time of an attack, the village of Branoux is plundered and partly destroyed. It loses 52 inhabitants. It was attacked by 500 “ Juniors by Croix ”, of the catholics, directed by Vidal, the priest of Holy-Cecile-in Andorge.
1777: A stone bridge is built over Brémo, between Branoux and Favède. This bridge is called “ bridge of Bertrand ”: a still long-lived anachronism tells that Bertrand Duguesclin, died in 1380, would have borrowed this bridge!
Before 1789: Blannaves is under the domination of the lord of Lamelouze and of the lord Of Fare d' Alais.

Contemporary time

1806:545 inhabitants is listed in Branoux. One distinguishes 110 catholics and 435 Protestants.
1807: a Temple is built (under imperial decree) on the site of the old unused church.
Beginning 19th century: On the heights of Branoux, the Chestnut, the local breadfruit tree, is exploited more and more for the richnesses which it gets; chestnut groves are planted on the surrounding slopes. The chestnut is a basket for the Cevennes population: the Châtaigne S provide flour to manufacture wafers and mashed potatoes, soups, wood is used for manufacture of agricultural tools and baskets (use of rejections born of the stock of the chestnut in this case, of the bouscasses ), for the frame during the construction of house. During the second world war (1939-1945), the sweet chestnuts, dried and torrefied, were useful for the clothes industry of “ café ”; of poor quality (to read Albert COMBEMALE , “ The heart by the main ”). The chestnut left many traces in the Toponymie as in family names of the country: Castan, Castanet, Chastagnier, Castanier, Chastans.
1826: Creation of the company of the “ Collieries of Large-Combe ”, which marks the beginning of the industrialization of the exploitation of the coal of the basin of Large-Combe.
1837: Under the impulse of the brothers Talabot, creation of the “ Company of the Mines of Large-Combe and the Railroads of Gard ”, shortened in company of the “ Mines of Large-Combe ” in 1855. The hamlet of Taillades increases with the construction of many summary residences for the minors who work in the layers of Houille.
1846: A first coal well is dug in Taillades; it is about the Mourier Well.
1848: Construction of a first school, in Branoux, in the prolongation of the temple builds before.
Fine of the 19th century: Extension of the working habitat (for the minors working in the collieries of the basin of Large-Combe) to the locality the Camp of the Nuns; perhaps the name comes from “ Tired nounas ”, place where cereals in patois are cultivated; as with the hamlet of Gash, along the valley of Gardon.
1880: A new well is open on the commune: the Well of the Nuns; this well will be closed in 1918. The place will become stock room of the evacuated remains of the extraction of coal, a dump will be drawn up with the camp of the Nuns.
1895: A suspended bridge is built in Taillades, to pass the Gardon and to join the Highone.
1895: A tarred road is finally arranged along the valley of Gardon; it will be future RN 106.
1897: A mixed public school is created in Branoux; it will be closed in 1966 during the school refitting of the commune.
1914: A school of the girls is opened in Branoux. The First World War starts, of the young common people are called to leave to the face.
1918: Closing of the coal well of the Nuns.
1920: Construction of the Post office.
1920: A war memorial is affixed on the wall of the old town hall of Branoux. It is about a marble plate where the names of deaths fallen during the First World War are engraved.
1930: Closing of the last mills of the commune in Castanet, of which twinned mills, built in Schist, surmounted the pigeon ones).
1932: Installation of a Vélodrome for competitions cyclists in Taillades.L' idea returns to Louis Riquet, accountant employed with the mines of Large-Combe. The first track, in litharge, is carried out by the minors themselves after their hard day's work.
1933: A school is opened in Taillades; closed, it is used nowadays for the Civil statue.

Recent history (after 1945)

1945 : During the phase of rebuilding of the country, the Company of the Collieries arranges working cities intended for the minors in Galissard.
1947: The town hall of Branoux moves; it settles in one of the largest houses of the commune, the Durand-Bonnal house built at the 19th century.
1950: Monument for FTPF inaugurated with Gash.
1956: The commune of Branoux changes name: it is called from now on Branoux-the-Gash.
1957: New school with Gash, closed in 1996, then reopened in 2001 at the same time as that of Branoux: elementary school with Gash and nursery school with Branoux.
1960: New school, larger, in Branoux, in the Plain. It bears the name of “ Joliot-Curie ”.
1961: Startup of the distribution network of water on all the commune; that allows the construction of new residences, collectives and individual.
1970: Construction of a small city HLM with Civadière; at the same time, installation of the first allotments with Branoux.
1978: First mandate of the communist mayor Maurice Tribes, always mayor in 2006.Réaménagement of the track of the cycle-racing track of Gash.
1981: Construction of the versatile room with Branoux. Is used as and place showroom of reception for associations of the commune.
Years 1980: Allotment in the Pines; cause a Mitage forest.
2001: Inauguration of the “ nouveau ” Vélodrome of Gash, completely rehabilitated, with a track of 250 meters length and partly covered platforms, offering 330 places, in the presence of Marie-George Buffet, Minister for Youth and the Sports. This cycle-racing track bears the name of its originator, Louis Riquet, and it is single in the area Languedoc-Roussillon.

Administration

|- | align=right| 1953 - 1959 || Élie Fages ||align=" center" | || |- | align=right| 1959 - 1978 || Jean Clauzel ||align=" center" | || |- | align=right| since 1978 || Maurice Tribes ||align=" center" | PCF ||

Demography

1806:545 listed inhabitants.

Economy

All the linked activities with the extraction of the coal (primarily on the commune of Large-Combe the) disappeared today. In the communal landscape, there remains only the working dwellings intended for the minors.
the agricultural activities became marginal (some pastures, of the kitchen gardens and the orchards, exploitation of the Châtaigne lines).
industry almost disappeared, it remains a canning facility of pork-butchery in Taillades.
the tertiary sector dominate: some trade still animate the villages (coffees, restaurant, bakery), of many craftsmen, but the linked activities with tourism remain under-exploited (Country holidays, a camp-site in Font Blackbird, excursions, VTT…).
the majority of the active population of the commune works with Large-Combe, the Room-of-Gardon the and especially with Alès and its surroundings, the most important basin of use of Cevennes Piedmont.
Of many allotments is under development, especially around the village of Branoux (towards Civadière or in the Pines), sign of a certain dynamism but little by little the village is likely to become a village dormitory. Moreover, the construction of villas in the hills causes a Mitage Cevennes forest (already threatened by the fires).

Places and monuments

the point of view of the Plan of Jonquet, on D 154, above Branoux, towards the valley of Gardon, the the Cevennes lozériennes, the Mont Lozere…
the Bridge Bertrand on Brêmo.Ce bridge consists of a single arch, very high, the parapets are out of schist or Lauze S.
the temple of 1807.
the Roman way.
vestiges of the extraction of the coal.
the strong castle of Devêze, in ruins, located upstream Holy-Cecile-in Andorge.
Blannaves, vestiges of sound Priory of the 11th century. This priory includes/understands three buildings: the Saint-Pierre church, the house curiale and a farm. He was classified with the additional inventory of the historic buildings in 1949. The church is of Romance architecture primitive with a lombarde influence; it was built at the 11th century by monks from Marseilles (abbey of Saint-Victor). The interior is very rustic, with Voûte S in cradle, the vault of the apse is in half dome with some sculptures. The vaults North were added to the 16th century. The house curiale has a baker's oven integrated in its walls.

Personalities related to the commune

Gédéon Laporte , chief Camisard (1660-1702), born with Saint-Paul-the-Coste, resided at Branoux where he exerted the trade of blacksmith. He took share with the wars of religion opposing the catholics and the Protestants in the Cevennes. He was put at price 100 spray, dead or sharp, and was killed at the time of an attack by the soldiers of the king.
Lucien Lantier , painter, born with Odessa (Ukraine) in 1879 and deceased in Gard in 1960. The artist took part in the First World War in the rows of the French Army and lived a long time with Verdun. He painted the blast furnaces of Longwy and decorated with many churches in Lorraine (Samogneux in particular). Driven out by the Second world war, Lucien Lantier found refuge in the old library of Branoux in the years 1940.Il will be strongly inspired by the Cevennes landscapes and the black mouths of Large-Combe.
Louis Riquet , creator of the Vélodrome of Gash. Accountant in a company of public works with Large-Combe, Louis Riquet had the idea to build a cycle-racing track in 1932.

See too

Common of Gard

the genealogist and author Jean François Aupetitgendre wrote a monograph of Branoux

External bonds

Branoux and the communes of the Large Country How much
Branoux-the-Gash on the site of the national geographical Institute
Branoux-the-Gash on the site of INSEE
Branoux-the-Gash on the site of Quid
Localization of Branoux-the-Gash on a chart of France and communes bordering
Plan on Branoux-the-Gash on Mapquest

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