Arrigas
Encyclopedia
Arrigas is a commune
in the Gard
department in southern France
.
, above the D999 road between Le Vigan
and Alzon
.
of Arrigas on the route to Peyraube, and the dolmen of Peyre Cabussélado near the border with the commune of Arre. There are also three knocked-over menhirs at the mountain pass de Vernes, and more lower down at the place called Troulhas.
The village itself was founded in the 12th century by a colony of Benedictine
monks under the dependency of St Victor of Marseille
; a church is mentioned in 1113 and a monastery in 1135. By the 14th century, during the Hundred Years' War
, the church was fortified.
During the French Wars of Religion
the d’Albignac family, lords (seigneurs) of Arrigas, embraced the Reformation
, alongside part of the population. But later their loyalty to the Crown led the d’Albignacs to change camp. In 1625, when Henri, duc de Rohan
led the uprising of the Protestants of Languedoc, Charles d’Albignac took up the Catholic cause of the King, Louis XIII.
His castle at the Pont d’Arre was taken by the Protestant zealots, while the fortified church of Arrigas was almost completely destroyed. Some months later, at the Siege of Creissels, Charles d’Albignac stopped the advance of the troops of Rohan, and afterwards he was elevated by the King to become the Baron d’Arre.
After the destruction of the Pont d’Arre, the d’Albignac family built the château of Arrigas. Louis-Alexandre d'Albignac was born here in 1739 and became a Lieutenant-General in the armies of the King, then a général de division in the Revolutionary and Imperial armies, decorated with the royal Order of Saint Louis
and the Imperial Légion d'honneur
.
After a remarkable career under the Ancien Regime, d’Albignac put himself in the service of the French Revolution
and accepted becoming the first mayor of Le Vigan
(the main town of the region) in 1790. He took up service against the enemies of the Revolution in the Camp of Jales, and then served in the army, either the armies of the Alps or the Rhine. He is the most illustrious of the children of Arrigas, although he died in his own house in Le Vigan in 1825.
Arrigas is lively village from July to August when home owners from all over France, Europe and even Canada descend to spend the summer holidays. There are communal (3 day) fetes in mid July and at the end of August. A little cooler because of its mountain location it provides a welcome break from the fierce heat of the coastal regions of Languedoc.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Gard
Gard
Gard is a département located in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region.The department is named after the River Gard, although the formerly Occitan name of the River Gard, Gardon, has been replacing the traditional French name in recent decades, even among French speakers.- History...
department in southern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Geography
The village is in the CévennesCévennes
The Cévennes are a range of mountains in south-central France, covering parts of the départements of Gard, Lozère, Ardèche, and Haute-Loire.The word Cévennes comes from the Gaulish Cebenna, which was Latinized by Julius Caesar to Cevenna...
, above the D999 road between Le Vigan
Le Vigan
Le Vigan is a commune in the Gard department in southern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.-Geography:Le Vigan is located at the south of the Massif Central and near the Mont Aigoual, in the Arre valley.-Population:-Economy:...
and Alzon
Alzon
Alzon is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.The commune is located in the south of the Cévennes National Park, in the upper Vis river valley.-Population:-References:*...
.
History
Arrigas possesses a number of Megalithic remains including the dolmenDolmen
A dolmen—also known as a portal tomb, portal grave, dolmain , cromlech , anta , Hünengrab/Hünenbett , Adamra , Ispun , Hunebed , dös , goindol or quoit—is a type of single-chamber megalithic tomb, usually consisting of...
of Arrigas on the route to Peyraube, and the dolmen of Peyre Cabussélado near the border with the commune of Arre. There are also three knocked-over menhirs at the mountain pass de Vernes, and more lower down at the place called Troulhas.
The village itself was founded in the 12th century by a colony of Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monks under the dependency of St Victor of Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
; a church is mentioned in 1113 and a monastery in 1135. By the 14th century, during the Hundred Years' War
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War was a series of separate wars waged from 1337 to 1453 by the House of Valois and the House of Plantagenet, also known as the House of Anjou, for the French throne, which had become vacant upon the extinction of the senior Capetian line of French kings...
, the church was fortified.
During the French Wars of Religion
French Wars of Religion
The French Wars of Religion is the name given to a period of civil infighting and military operations, primarily fought between French Catholics and Protestants . The conflict involved the factional disputes between the aristocratic houses of France, such as the House of Bourbon and House of Guise...
the d’Albignac family, lords (seigneurs) of Arrigas, embraced the Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
, alongside part of the population. But later their loyalty to the Crown led the d’Albignacs to change camp. In 1625, when Henri, duc de Rohan
Henri, duc de Rohan
Henri de Rohan, Viscount then Duke of Rohan , later duke of Rohan, French soldier, writer and leader of the Huguenots, was born at the Château de Blain , in Brittany....
led the uprising of the Protestants of Languedoc, Charles d’Albignac took up the Catholic cause of the King, Louis XIII.
His castle at the Pont d’Arre was taken by the Protestant zealots, while the fortified church of Arrigas was almost completely destroyed. Some months later, at the Siege of Creissels, Charles d’Albignac stopped the advance of the troops of Rohan, and afterwards he was elevated by the King to become the Baron d’Arre.
After the destruction of the Pont d’Arre, the d’Albignac family built the château of Arrigas. Louis-Alexandre d'Albignac was born here in 1739 and became a Lieutenant-General in the armies of the King, then a général de division in the Revolutionary and Imperial armies, decorated with the royal Order of Saint Louis
Order of Saint Louis
The Royal and Military Order of Saint Louis was a military Order of Chivalry founded on 5 April 1693 by Louis XIV and named after Saint Louis . It was intended as a reward for exceptional officers, and is notable as the first decoration that could be granted to non-nobles...
and the Imperial Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
.
After a remarkable career under the Ancien Regime, d’Albignac put himself in the service of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
and accepted becoming the first mayor of Le Vigan
Le Vigan
Le Vigan is a commune in the Gard department in southern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.-Geography:Le Vigan is located at the south of the Massif Central and near the Mont Aigoual, in the Arre valley.-Population:-Economy:...
(the main town of the region) in 1790. He took up service against the enemies of the Revolution in the Camp of Jales, and then served in the army, either the armies of the Alps or the Rhine. He is the most illustrious of the children of Arrigas, although he died in his own house in Le Vigan in 1825.
Arrigas is lively village from July to August when home owners from all over France, Europe and even Canada descend to spend the summer holidays. There are communal (3 day) fetes in mid July and at the end of August. A little cooler because of its mountain location it provides a welcome break from the fierce heat of the coastal regions of Languedoc.
Population
See also
- Estelle, a hamlet located on the territory of the commune
- Communes of the Gard department