Vallabrègues, between Provence and Languedoc, the country of vanniers

Vallabrègues, the only village in the Gard in Provençal land offers a rich heritage and is known for its artisanal tradition, vannerie.

Do you know Vallabrègues, a small, historic village, isolated on the right bank of the Rhone whose caprices have changed its geography over the centuries? Famous for its sausage and for its fruit produced on its lands, the village of Vallabrègues speaks of it every year since it hosts the European Vannerie Festival on the second weekend of August. Back on this party and on the vanilla trade in Vallabrègues.

Vanneries have existed for centuries in Vallabrègues

In the late 19th – early 20th century, Vallabrègues was considered the capital of vanneries, with almost 450 vanniers. As early as the 13th century, the profession of vannier was practised in the region, but in Vallabrègues this artisanal activity was sedentary.

Frédéric Mistral illustrated the vannier profession, choosing Vallabrègues as Vincent's native land, the modest vannier that wants to marry Mirèio (Mireille) in his eponymous work .

The terrible recurring floods of the Rhone favoured the production of oseraic fertilisers in the lowlands ("baisses") in Camargue, a raw material for the manufacture of baskets, banastes (bees for the harvest of fruit) of all forms, very useful for the growing agriculture at the end of the 19th century, for the harvest and for the shipping of fruits and vegetables in the large Provençal markets.

In the winter, the vanniers were going to cut the bone in the “baisses” and lived with the family in cabins similar to those of the gardians. The bone and the roses cultivated on these marshlands were harvested from Toussaint until the beginning of May.

Vannier, art in decline?

The first world war, the materials of modern times like plastic, and especially the development of the Rhone and its surroundings, led to the decline of this noble activity.

But until the late 1980s, four factories remained in Vallabrègues. Today, only one vannier (Daniel Benibghi) is still installed in Vallabrègues and continues to make this profession live which he describes as being "living heritage" .

If you’re interested in the history of Vallabrègues’ vanniers, you can read the work of Charles Galtier « Between Provence and Languedoc : Vallabrègues vanniers » .

Visit Vallabrègues today

Vallabrègues has been able to retain its ancient charm, its tranquillity, by enhancing its heritage and traditions. In the summer, many taurine events (camarguaises) attract the aficionados , especially during the annual holiday held on the second weekend of June.

Since 1989, to commemorate and celebrate the return of the "Baiasiers", festivities are organized every year on the second weekend of August, raising the village of Vallabrègues to the rank of vanilla capital in Europe . In fact, every year, this event attracts more than 10,000 visitors coming to admire the work of some fifty exhibitors and vanniers from all over Europe, and even elsewhere, proud to show their know-how and ancestral techniques. In addition to the uncontournable basket in bone, some pieces are real works of art. You can obviously buy wicker baskets and other items made by local or foreign vanniers.

Vannerie Festival in Vallabrègues on August 11 and 12, 2018

In 2018, the vannerie festival took place on the weekend from 11 to 12 August. On the festivities programme: big parade, musical animations, exhibitions, chef meal, pyrotechnic show on the lake and dancing evenings, in conviviality and sharing. You can find the detailed program of the vannerie festival on the site of the Gard Tourist Office.

Visit the Vannerie Museum in Vallabrègues

Improvised by “The Friends of the Old Vallabrègues”, passionate about the history of their village, the museum was created in 1994. There is a multitude of objects of all sizes, sometimes unusual, all made of wicker, as well as tools. It helps to keep alive the memory of a fashionable craft.

Open from 04/04/2018 to 13/10/2018 from 15h to 19h. Closed on Monday and Tuesday. (tel. 04 66 59 26 57)

Address: Musée la Vannerie et l’Artisanat de Vallabrègues , 4 rue Carnot 30300 Vallabrègues

What to do in the vicinity of Vallabrègues

If you come to visit Vallabrègues during the Festival de la Vannerie, you will certainly have the opportunity to visit the region, of which here are some essential places:

– Tarascon and Beaucaire :

• Tarascon and its medieval castle of King René, facing Beaucaire on the right bank of the Rhone and its castle, former powerful citadel of the time of St-Louis.
• The troglodyte abbey of Saint Roman in Beaucaire.
• The abbey of Frigolet, including Alphonse Daudet in his “Letters of my Mill”, set the plot of the eminent Reverend Father Gaucher, inventor of the famous elixir who bears his name.

– Boulbon, its medieval castle and the Bonnet mill.

- Avignon where the Popes found refuge in the 14th century and built the City of the Popes, its famous bridge St.Benezet, and its ramparts.

- Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, its citadel, its chartreuse and the tower erected by Philippe le Bel that gave access to the bridge St Bénezet.

- The Pont du Gard , Roman aqueduct twice a thousand years and still as fascinating of majesty, and the Grand Duchy of Uzès, its garrigues truffled with capitelles.

- Arles, Roman city, its arenas, its archaeological museum, and the Camargue Natural Regional Park.

- The Alpilles Regional Park :

• His hills and garrigues
• Saint-Rémy-de-Provence with the excavations of the ancient city of Glanum.
• The Baux-de-Provence and the ruins of its medieval fortress.
• Le Moulin d’Alphonse Daudet in Fontvieille
• The abbey of Montmajour and the Château d’Estoublon framed the legendary "Les gens de Mogador".

Where to stay in Vallabrègues?

Numerous holiday homes, guest houses and BWI are available for rent in Vallabrègues and its surroundings. You will find them on sites such as Airbnb or Booking .

Restoring to Vallabrègues

• Bar des Platanes
• Bar Restaurant du Cours
• Pizzeria Le Camalou

Did you know the vanilla festival in Vallabrègues?