Congénies

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

Geography

Commune of the canton of Sommières located at the western end of the plain of Vaunage. Sommières 7 km; Nimes 20 km; Montpellier 35 km, Mediterranean 30 km, the Cevennes 50 km.

History

Administration

Demography

Places and monuments

Church Notre-Dame de Congénies

Building registered under the historic buildings since 1949.

Mentioned for the first time in 1156 at the same time as the second parish church of Saint-Andrew, primitive construction was integrated into a defensive system (extremely) at the 14th century (presence of remainders of murals in the chorus probably going back to this time). Ransacked with many recoveries during wars of religion opposing the catholic and Protestant in the middle of the 16th century, it is finally rebuilt and increased after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes (1685) after various attempts carried out in failure. This new work campaign is carried out in 1686 by the architect diocesan of reputation Gabriel Dardaillon, whereas it is in full construction of the central house of the castle of Aubais, true masterpiece of the classical architecture in Languedoc and author of many private mansions on Nimes, often in collaboration with Jacques Cubizol… On this occasion the old protesting temple of the village located on the place of Peyron is demolished on royal order and its door went up on the new frontage of the church. The interior will be decorated with frescos presenting of the vegetable reasons the rinceaux one with sheets with acanthuses and draperies, the shapes of medallions and garlands in a pure style baroque. Although late, the vaults are however carried out on intersecting ribs, certainly in a preoccupation with a unit but the multiple achievements of Dardaillon shows us that he knew the technique well (cf Dôme of the castle of Aubais). In 1702 the church is again vandalisée and set fire to by Jean Cavalier and his troops Camisards constrained with the " Désert".

In 1752, the commune decides construction of a turn-bell-tower, contiguous to the building, comprising a very sober wrought iron bell-tower nowadays supporting a beautiful bell offered to the commune by Louet de Nogaret de Calvisson. According to the old texts of the end of the 17th century, the principal frontage of the church was surmounted by a bell-tower-pinion with two bays sheltering each one a bell. These two bells being transferred within the new bell-tower, it is thought that this first bell-tower logically disappeared at the same time. One reaches the terrace of this tower by a very beautiful spiral staircase. Reallocated with the worship protesting under the Revolution (one of the two bells is descended and molten to take part in the effort of war) it is rather quickly returned to the catholics who will have however to await second half of the 19th century to carry out last interior installations: statues, stained glasses, new white marble high altar and gildings to which two side furnace bridges dedicated to Notre Dame of the Graces and St Andre were assistant, candelabra multiple and objects of worship and liturgical, new paintings in the chorus commérant the memory of the old parish disappeared from Saint-Andrew and realization of the vault of heaven overhanging it.

The 20th century is marked by many interior refittings which will make disappear the near total from the elements of the previous century. The most outstanding action remains the demolition of the presbytery or cure which was coupled with the southern frontage of the monument masking it mainly. Under the control of the departmental architect Henri Floutier who leads this work of 1951 to 1952 (author with Congénies of the old cooperative wine cave and the communal hearth), the church is finally released, its stones are exposed, a pleasant square is arranged instead of the presbytery or throne today the olive-tree of Freedom planted at the time of the bicentenary of the Revolution of 1789. Recently the roof was completely remade, one second section of work must begin soon to attack the northern face of the building and the last phase will relate to the part certainly most delicate: restoration of the interior of the nave.

The menhir of " Peyra Plantada"

Very rare example intact in southernmost plain with that of Nimes-Courbessac of a monument megalithic going back to 3500 av J. - C. (height except ground 2,75m, as much in the ground…)

House of assembly Quakers

Single example in France of the installation of a community Quaker at the end of the 18th century. The pertaining to worship building is built about 1822 thanks to a legacy (neo-classic pediment and carries to embossing). The " temple quaker" as one names it in Congénies will remain in function until 1907, a cemetery is arranged in the garden on the Anglo-Saxon model; of simple steles are planted in the ground. During the 20th century the building is transformed into dwelling house, the cemetery strongly damaged at the time of the German occupation during the second world war (storage of ammunition). Recently the place has found in extremis its vocation with the installation in the village for a few years of a new Quaker group and the contest of the movements English and French Quakers by the organization of meetings, seminars and conferences various.

Protesting temple of the Reformed Church of France

Building with the vast proportions builds thanks to the gifts of faithful in 1818 having a large neo-classic frontage with broad surmounted pediment of a bell-tower-pinion sheltering the bell of the Harmony.

The 19th century also saw the establishment of a strong community methodist and the construction into 1871 of a vault in a park giving on the avenue of the Fountain, demolished in the middle of the years 1960 because unused and especially in very bad condition.

As it was higher mentioned another church existed in Congénies with the Middle Ages, the Romance church of Saint Andre from which the last ruins finally disappeared at the beginning 19th century being used for construction of a farmhouse.

Schools and old town hall

Imposing building for a commune then modest inaugurated in " large pompes" under the Second Empire in 1867 having a rich person frontage of style " Néo-Louis XIII" with alternation of bricks and stone of Driven in the fields of the departmental architect and diocesan Henri Revoil very famous then.

Old station PLM-SNCF, line of Nimes to Vigan

It is inaugurated on October 30th, 1882 at the time of the startup of the railway section Nimes-Sommières and Sommières them Mazes (Crès) beside .elle Montpellier will be closed definitively with the travellers in 1970 then with the rail traffic of the goods in 1987.Les rails are deposited in spring 1994. Finally, Rail network of France sells the influence of the old line in 2001 to the general advice of the Gard which decides installation of a green lane on the Caveirac-Sommières section between 2005 and 2006.

Fountain of the Stock Exchange

Arranged in 1868 by channeling spring water of Fontvieille situèe 500 m in the west of the village, this elegant surmounted public fountain of an extremely picturesque arbor of rose tree of an out of date charm is resulting from the old workshops nimois " Dollet Frères" who realized, inter alia, the grids of the prefecture of Nimes in 1855. Today located at the foot of the new town hall, by its strategic position with the crossroads of the roads of Nimes, Sommières, Aubais and Junas it has always been a place impossible to circumvent and very animated for the congénois for 140 years. Formerly one discussed the prices of the wine there, from where its name, one also exposed to it his hunting trophies until in the years 1970, in particular the foxes which were hung with the arbor… But also each and everyone remade the world there sitting on the bench in the shade of the imposing rose tree. It is still today the place of return of youth in end-of-day.

Moreover, the commune has more capitelles 110 called here huts left again in the pine forests and garrigues, constructions out of dry stones of which some are remarkable. The " cant of Bleu" carry at its top a cover of iris on the hill of Laurisset, overhanging in north the village where a path of landscape interpretation was arranged.

Moreover the communal territory also has a multitude of archeological sites worthy of interests since the antique source of Fontvieille whose occupation is attested at the beginning of the Neolithic era (5500 with 6000 av Jc, which would to date make of it the oldest archeological site of Vaunage) with the many agricultural villas gallo Roman which enamels the buttresses of the hills near the old Roman way arriving Lutevia of Nimes via Nages.

Personalities related to the commune

See too

Common of Gard

External bonds

Congénies on the site of the national geographical Institute
Congénies on the site of INSEE
Congénies on the site of Quid
Localization of Congénies on a chart of France and communes bordering
Plane on Congénies on Mapquest
Congénies and its life Quaker

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