Solid mass of the Holy-Balsam

The Holy-Balsam (in Occitan Of Provence: Santa Bauma according to the traditional standard or Santo Baumo according to the Norme mistralienne) is a solid mass of the south-east of the France, which extends between the departments from the Rhone delta and the Var on a surface from 2169 hectares.

Its top is the Joug of the Eagle which culminates with 1147 meters. It also includes/understands on its western side the top of the Rhone delta: the Peak of Bertagne which reaches the altitude of 1042 meters. The exceptional character of the site is due to the presence of a mature Hêtraie, preserved since centuries, and cave of Sainte Marie-madeleine, place of pilgrimage major to the Moyen-âge.

Geography

The solid mass of the Holy-Balsam is widest and highest of the provençaux links. Drawing up on both sides departments of the VAr (for more than 90% of its surface) and of the Rhone delta, it is located at a score of kilometers of the Mediterranean coast, its surface extending on 35 kilometers length and 15 kilometers broad. It has a long watershed 12 kilometers, the culminating points being the Yoke of the Eagle (1147 meters), whose high abrupt cliff of more than 300 meters offers splendid climbing ways, and the Peak of Bertagne (1040 meters), a majestic rocky outcrop dominating the western slope of the solid mass.

The solid mass is located on the territory of many communes: Roquevaire, Riboux, Auriol, Cuges-the-Pines, Nans-the-Pines, Signs and Saint-Zacharie

Geology and Hydrology

Geology of the solid mass

Formation of the solid mass of the Holy-Balsam in the same beginning as the Pyrenean Crumpling. One allots these formations to the displacement of the Iberian peninsula compared to the European plate. It starts to be detached some it there has 120 million years and starts a vast rotation movement, digging the Pyrenean furrow then. 65 million years ago, the movement changes: the Iberian peninsula enters in collision with the European plate, which causes the formation of the the Pyrenees. The south-east of the France, propelled then towards the North-East of a hundred kilometers, sudden of the deformations of which one of most important is that of the solid mass of the Holy-Balsam.

The long peak of the Holy-Balsam is made reversed layers: the Crétacé inferior is surmounted by the Jurassic which occupies the southern side. This structure comes from the existence of a tablecloth from cover, coming from the south, planing the old reliefs, reversing their layers, involving pieces which one calls " écailles" and whose erosion leaves only vestiges (Allochtone). That was shown by the surveys carried out in 1969 in the north of the Plan of Aups. Up to 16 meters of depth, one crosses the Jurassic inferior. Of 17 meters to 22 meters, one finds the Cretaceous higher. It is indeed a piece of tablecloth posed on more recent grounds.

Hydrology

Profiting from a climate of the Mediterranean type mountain, the solid mass of the Holy-Balsam is regarded as the principal water tower of the area. Several rivers occur there: the Huveaune, Vède, Peyruis, Gaudin, Caramy, Issole, the Gapeau, Fauge… The solid mass is traversed by an important network of underground rivers and many swallow-holes are explored by the speleologists. The Gouffre of Small Saint-Cassien is known universally. Important resurgences; Foux de Nans, Figuière with Tourves, the Source vauclusienne of the Abbey of Saint-Pons to Gémenos, Castelette in the Plan of Aups (which gives rise to Huveaune), the source of Orris with Roquebrussanne, the source of Raby with Signes… are fed by a strong pluviometry which had with the relief.

Flora of the solid mass

The national forest is considered and protected since mists of time. The Hêtraie and the Chênaie are remarkable there, with a particular flora and a fauna, intermediary between the Mediterranean forest and the alpine forest of average altitude.

The fauna of the solid mass

The solid mass comprises all the French coleopters quoted with appendix II of the directing Habitats. It also shelters one of the most septentrional stations of the Sabline of Provence.

Human occupation of the solid mass

Toponymy

Its name comes from the presence of a cave ( balsam in Provençal) which would have, in the Christian tradition, occupied Sainte Marie-madeleine during thirty years, after having unloaded in 47 av. JC with the Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer and which, after having évangélisé the Provence would have been buried in the crypt of the basilica of Saint-Maximin-the-Holy-Balsam.

Prehistory

The presence of Homo erectus has been proven in Country Holy-Balsam for at least 130000 years. One found his trace with the cave of the Cedars in the Plan of Aups, in the West of the chain. The Man of Néandertal, large hunter, traverses the solid mass and seems to have used the caves like the Large-Balsam (many on the solid mass) during the glacial periods.

Religious history of the solid mass

At the time préchrétienne the Holy-Balsam is the crowned Mountain of the Marseillais: high place of worship of fruitfulness, and in particular of the Artémis of Éphèse. Towards 60, Lucain, Latin poet , mentions a certain “wood crowned” close to Marseilles…

Towards 415, holy Jean Cassien, founds a first priory on its return of Egypt and as of the 5th century, the presence of monks of the Abbaye of Saint-Victor of Marseilles is attested.

The cave of Sainte-Marie Madeleine becomes a famous Christian place of pilgrimage. In 816, the Pope Etienne VI, then, in 878, the pope Jean VIII go there. Like on July 22nd, 1254, Saint Louis visit Holy the Balsam on its return of Crusade.

In 1279, Charles II of Anjou, king of Sicily and Count de Provence, carries out the excavations which lead to discovered to Saint-Maximin of the relics of Marie-madeleine. After six years of detention to Barcelona, Charles II can implement in 1288 his project to build a basilica to shelter the relics. Lastly, on June 21st, 1295, with the support of the pope Boniface VIII, it installs the Dominicains in Saint-Maximin and Holy the Balsam.

In 1332, the same day Philippe VI of Valois, King de France, Alphonse IV of Aragon, Hughes of Cyprus, Jean of Luxembourg, king de Bohème is collected in the cave.

Throughout 14th and 15th century, popes, kings and princes go in pilgrimage in the Cave, one of most famous of Christendom.

In 1440, one deplores the fire of the cave and the destruction of the buildings. In 1456 Louis XI, king de France equips the cave richly and draws the plan of the cupola which it offers for the furnace bridge. And, on January 1st, 1516, François Ier accompanied by his Louise mother by Savoy and her wife Claude by France) comes to return thanks to its return of Marignan. It grants funds for the restoration of the cave, makes build the “gate François Ier” (visible with Hotel trade), and built three royal rooms with the cave. Jean Ferrier, archbishop of Arles makes set up the oratories of the Way of the Kings.

In 1533, François Ier returns at the time of the marriage of its second wire, Henri of Orleans, with Catherine de Médicis in Marseilles. She will return on October 25th, 1564 with Charles IX king de France (14 years), her brother the future Henri III of France, and Henri de Navarre (11 years).

Charles IX goes there at the time of royal sound Tour de France in 1564 in order to satisfy the catholics. But, in 1586 and 1592, one regrets of plunderings of the cave (the second time in spite of the drawbridge set up following plundering occurred whereas the relics of Saint-Maximin had been transferred in the cave during the disorders caused by the Ligue).

Esprit Blanc makes build in 1630 the Vault known as “of Parisian” (or “of dead”) and in 1649 Monseigneur de Marinis offers the statue of the Blessed Virgin, work of the sculptor Gênois Orsolino (always visible with the cave).

February 5th, 1660 Louis XIV, with Anne of Austria and Mazarin, goes to the sanctuary.

The Revolution and the Empire put in danger the site. In 1791, the marquis of Albertas repurchases the goods of Dominican which had been sold like national goods. But, in 1793, Holy the Balsam is renamed “Thermopyles”, the interior of the cave and the great contiguous hotel trade (which one still sees the traces in cliff) is destroyed. Fortunately, Lucien Bonaparte, husband of Christine Boyer, girl of the landlord of Saint-Maximin, saves the basilica and the forest of Holy the Balsam of the revolutionists. In 1814, the marshal Brune destroys the cave and what there had just been rebuilt.

It is only in 1822, that Chevalier, Préfet of Toulon, restores the catholic worship. In 1824, a community of Trappistes is established on the plate, opposite current hotel trade then leaves the place in 1833 with Capucins which remain only two years.

In 1848, the Father Henri-Dominique Lacordaire, celebrates preacher and restorer of the Dominican order in France since 1840, comes to the cave and in 1859, it repurchases the convent of Saint-Maximin to reinstall the Preaching friars there; with the assistance of work for the restoration of the holy places of Provence which it had founded, it reinstalls on July 22nd, the brothers with the cave; it makes build Hotel trade in the plain of the Holy-Balsam.

In 1865, the Dominican brother Marie-Joseph Lataste founds the congregation known as “of Béthanie” which accommodates women comings out of prison (converted Madeleines); it will set up a community close to the church of the Plan of Aups in 1884. In 1889, some relics of Marie-madeleine are placed in the reliquary realized by the goldsmith Lyons Armand Caillat and deposited in the Cave.

Following the laws of separation of the Church and State, the cave becomes property of the commune of the Plan of Aups in 1910.

In 1914, with the celebrations of the centenary of the reopening of the worship to Holy the Balsam, the Vayssière Father restores the staircases leading to the Cave (150 steps in memory of the 150 Aves of the Rosary) and inaugurates the Martyrdom. Then in 1928, is inaugurated the old people's home Nazareth opposite Hotel trade (today occupied by écomusée). In 1932, Marthe Spitzer, Jewish converted, carry out Pietà which is on the square of the Cave (offered by the basilica the Madeleine of Paris).

In 1948, the architect Le Corbusier projects the construction of an underground basilica to the Holy-Balsam (utopian project never carried out…!) then, in 1966 - Oscar Niemeyer carries out a modern project of convent to Hotel trade in the place of the western wing. In 1970, Thomas Gleb carries out the Saint-Dominique Oratory, with Hotel trade, between 1976 and 1981, the companion Pierre Petit (“Tourangeau, the disciple of the Light”) constructs the stained glasses of the Cave.

In 1995 was celebrated the seventh centenary of the foundation of the basilica of Saint-Maximin and the installation of the Dominican brothers with Saint-Maximin and with the cave of Holy the Balsam.

A community of four Dominican brothers always ensures the reception of the pilgrims the Cave of holy Marie-madeleine. This presence of a community is restored since the summer 2002 (date of the reopening of the cave after work of purging of cliff).

The Holy-Balsam and Companions of the Tour de France

According to the legendary tradition of the Companions of the Tour de France, their founder, Main Jacques, in 950 before J. - C., on its return of the construction of the temple of Solomon, is withdrawn with Holy the Balsam where he would have been assassinated and buried. The passage on the solid mass is impossible to circumvent in their initiatory tour.

The Holy-Balsam constitutes the final stage of the Tour de France of the companions. The Tour de France is the initiatory way which leads to the control of a trade and the Holy-Balsam seems the place - and the bond - which links the companions after their tests. Marie-madeleine is the holy owner of the trade-guild.

The pilgrimage starts with the rise with the cave, which can be done of night in the light of the torches. In the cave, the companion receives the " couleurs" , i.e. its badges (of the ribbons), which conform to a telegraphy code and are struck with irons of the Holy-Balsam. These " couleurs" symbols of the initiatory advance of the companion will be supplemented progressively. After the ceremony and the blessing, one signs of the book of passage of the companions.

February 16th, 2003, proceeded the ceremony of deposit of the plugs and the register of the Compagnons of the Tour de France of the plain Duties, one of three associations.

The Holy-Balsam, reserves of ice of Marseilles and Toulon

The Holy-Balsam is an academy of the history of the Glacière S in Provence. There is still a score in the solid mass. Although the use of the ice to be refreshed was a luxury practiced since high antiquity. In Provence it will be necessary to await 1642 to see two merchants obtaining Louis XIII the exclusive privilege to build refrigerators and to sell the ice with Marseilles.

The water of the sources and the brooks was collected, channeled and put to freeze between January and March on terraces or basins bordered of low walls. It was then stored in refrigerators, vast wells from 10 to 20 meters of depth dug in the rock, exceeding ground on a quarter their height and covered with a tiled roof posed on a layer of ground. In summer, the blocks were output and transported by night cartage.

The refrigerators of the Holy-Balsam Eastern supplied Toulon until in 1789. Some reserves of the south-western part were intended for Marseilles. A score of these buildings remain at the end is solid mass. The most spectacular remainder certainly the refrigerator Pivaut, recently renovated, with Mazaugues which is largest of the refrigerators of the Holy-Balsam. High, of a diameter of 17,6 meters, it could 23 meters preserve up to 3100 m ³ of ice. It would have been used only two years.

A site of excursions

Many possibilities of excursions exist within the solid mass or at the beginning of the various villages of the Holy-Balsam such as Roquevaire, Riboux, Auriol, Cuges-the-Pines, Nans-the-Pines, Signes and St Zacharie.

the shortest way to reach the peaks of the Holy-Balsam is carried out starting from the forest extending to the foot from cliffs, then while passing the Col of Saint-Rammer, with 952 meters of altitude. Towards the east draws up the False Yoke of the Eagle, high of 1118 meters, and separated from the collar by Baù of the Birds. Borrow path GR9 passing by the collar to traverse these various peaks towards the east.

the solid mass is also a high-place of speleology: the abyss of Maramoye which is in edge of the plate of Siou-White, Maramoye (" the woman maudite") towards 1920 was explored. It reaches -127 meters.

See too

Internal bonds

Geography of the Western Alps

External bonds

Association Discovery-Holy-Balsam
Pilgrimage of Marie-madeleine
Promenage with the Holy-Balsam
Excursions with the Holy-Balsam
Information of the tourist bureau of Saint-Maximim-the-Holy-Balsam
Information on the tradition relating to the presence of Marie-madeleine in Provence

Works

Father Philippe Devoucoux of Buysson, shortened History of Holy the Balsam, Editions Renaudie, 1989.

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