Bezouce and his noria
From Bezouce, you will find a car park near the arena, the skate park and the Vistre river, ideal for a sporty moment in family. 500m away, discover an educational layout based on the theme of the aqueduct. If this loop bears the name of the aqueduct, it is because water plays an important part in the history and landscape of this territory. It is therefore a whole heritage that is organized here to make us relive the traditions of yesteryear. If many wash houses are still well preserved, you will find in Bezouce a sample of a noria, an old water wheel, very common in the Vistre plain, which by the energy of the current allowed to feed crops or ponds. On the territory of the commune, 45 norias have been identified: they were used to irrigate onion crops, which were very water-intensive. The restored noria of Bezouce, known as the Brunel noria, belonged to the Nîmes aqueduct. A very nice layout allows to understand the usefulness of the noria. Here in Bezouce, the aqueduct of Nîmes is underground: the noria, placed on a manhole covered with a cast iron plate, was used to supply water to basins thanks to two siphons connected to the noria.
Go to the back of the Romanesque church built in the 12th century around 1150. Various extensions followed one another from 1857 to 1867, destroying most of the construction, although some details were revealed during the interior restoration carried out in 1998. On the other side of the village, at the signpost indicating "marché aux bœufs", turn left then right. On this path, the sign "Moulin à Huile" indicates the NICOLAS mill located 800m from the route. In addition to its shop where you can taste Nîmes PDO olive oil, develop your knowledge thanks to its educational olive grove and its themed mini-golf. You will then walk through the vineyards of Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) Costières de Nîmes, belonging to the great family of Rhone Valley wines, which offer a beautiful palette of fruits with the singular character of the Mediterranean land. Enjoy the vineyard landscape and its magical colours in all seasons. During your visit to Bezouce, don't miss the shop of the OULIVO olive oil cellar. You will find oils and olives from Nîmes AOP and quality local products. Nearby, you can also visit the cutlery workshop "Le Camarguais" or schedule a course with the cutler.The PDO Olive and Olive Oil of Nîmes
Of the 345 varieties of olives listed worldwide, the Picholine is the flagship olive of the Gard. For over 15 years, it has been protected by two Protected Designations of Origin (PDO). These are essential to the table in the Gard, highlighting the conviviality of a meal, its inimitable taste, and the typicality of this fruit known for its crunchiness. The PDO Olive de Nîmes, European recognition obtained in 2010, underlines a traditional know-how in the production of the Olive de Nîmes, an olive of mouth of exception. Harvested in early autumn, the Olive de Nîmes, from the Picholine variety, is put in brine according to the recipe known as "à la Picholine". This traditional process gives it a salty note that is particularly appreciated by connoisseurs as an aperitif!
The Nîmes PDO olive oil is the first PDO olive oil in Languedoc-Roussillon. Obtained in 2007, it highlights the rigorous work of producers and marks the authenticity of the product. Particular attention is paid to the quality of the olives, their traceability and the conditions under which the oil is produced. The PDO specifications are extremely rigorous and precise in this respect. Once harvested, the olives must be brought in within a maximum of 3 days, and the oil, to guarantee the PDO, must be composed of at least 70% of the Picholine variety. Nîmes olive oil thus reveals an incomparable aromatic intensity, underlined by a hint of bitterness giving it a fresh taste.Cabrières
A slight climb leads you to Cabrières, past the war memorial in the shape of a cross and near the castle, and on to the Place de la Fontaine. Here, take a break to enjoy this pleasant stone layout (washhouse, capitelle, paved slabs, ...). The Griffe fountain, built in the centre of the village, owes its construction to the mayor, Mr Vailhe, who in 1840 wanted to provide his town with running water. In addition to private individuals, farmers and gardeners benefited from this providential water: it was indeed brought to the village gardens through small canals still visible today. For the past ten years, workcamps have been rehabilitating the natural flow of water that used to irrigate the shared gardens (still present today) before the arrival of running water.
This short break will allow you to regain your strength for the sporting climb that awaits you. On the plateau, walk along beautiful stony paths. Notice the presence of holm oaks, typical trees of our garrigues. This Mediterranean environment, a high place of biodiversity, abounds in specific fauna and flora with many protected or threatened species. Stay on the main road until you reach the "Table Ronde" hiking post at 206 m altitude, where you turn right and begin a pleasant descent lined with another symbolic species of our territory: the olive tree.Lédenon
Enter Lédenon by the D427 and go along the municipal park (on your left a large park with trees and shade in which you can take a break in the immediate vicinity of the boulodrome, its wash house and small wooden bridge, its fountain and its picnic tables. The park is also the starting point of the circuit of the crosses (to be taken during hikes). At the next intersection, turn right to continue the loop and discover the church of Lédenon a few meters from the route on your left, continuing and at the Madonna, enjoy the view of the castle dating from the 12th century. Leave the village and admire the view, from the orchards of old fruit trees, on the hills " Marduel " and " Ferraud " which overhang Saint-Bonnet-du-Gard.
Saint-Bonnet-du-Gard
At the entrance to Saint-Bonnet-du-Gard, take the "rue des jardins" through a small passage reserved for pedestrians and cyclists that leads to the restaurant La Fontaine and a shady square. The Roman aqueduct crossed Saint-Bonnet before joining Sernhac, looking carefully you will recognize in the walls of houses the stones reused from the aqueduct after its abandonment in the Middle Ages. You can make a detour to visit the domain Cante Perdrix whose originality is to have an old millstone and to propose its oil for a range of cosmetics "Le petit Olivier" do not hesitate to discover its shop! Take the initial circuit and carefully cross the road in front of the tobacco shop then zigzag up to the fortified church which will be on your right. The construction of this building of "primitive Romanesque" style goes back to the IXth century and uses many debris of the old Roman aqueduct. The church has been a listed monument since 1907. Pass the railway and take the green way to the right.
Sernhac
The variant "Vestiges de l'Aqueduc" will lead you to a nugget of this itinerary: the authentic remains of the Aqueduct of Nîmes in Sernhac. To do this, leave the greenway, follow the signs and go up towards the Escaunes valley in Cantarelles. This valley was dug with galleries which were used to carry water from the Eure fountain in Uzès to Némausus, the present Nîmes. Two tunnels are accessible to the public today: the 74 m long Perotte gallery and the 60 m long Cantarelles gallery. The limestone removed from the tunnels was used to build the Maison Carré in Nîmes. All along the route, the aqueduct is present on the surface but also underground, as in Bezouce and Sernhac where a tunnel passes under the village. The association "Le Vallon d'Escaunes à Cantarelles "
is carrying out the original and participative project "Mille murets, mille solidarités" (A thousand low walls, a thousand solidarities) to enhance this site with the inhabitants of the territory around the rehabilitation of olive groves and the enhancement of heritage, notably dry stone constructions. It is also an access point to the historical site of the Uzès-Nîmes aqueduct. Themed trails invite you to stroll in the valley. A large picnic table offers you a pleasant break. Go back to the historical centre of the village (with its church and its Saracen gate), before going down the "Grand Rue" where you will enjoy a nice view on the valley. Before returning to the greenway, for those who wish to do so, a detour to the Poulvarel estate offers an experience that mixes Roman history with that of wine.Olive growing and the art of dry stone:
This loop is an opportunity to discover olive growing and the art of dry stone, a practice closely linked to this culture. Present since antiquity on the territory, the culture of the olive knew many vicissitudes. Several periods of intense cold, including the terrible frost of 1956 which decimated 2/3 of the olive trees, and the supremacy given to the cultivation of the vine, saw the irreparable reduction of olive growing. However, before the 1956 frost, the Gard was the leading olive-growing department in France. Today, the ambition of the producers is to regain this level and to have the Gard recognized as a high place of olive growing. Here, the emblematic olive of all pleasures is the Picholine: fruity and full-bodied, it is the most ardent of the olives and it is also the most resistant to the stormy whims of the wind. Other varieties rub shoulders with the queen of olives, such as the Négrette, the Rougette de Sernhac or the Lucques. To obtain the best of these fruits with their beautiful shades of green, the cultivation of the olive tree is done in terraces: a typically Mediterranean technique, the terraces are supported by low dry stone walls. These agricultural terraces planted with olive trees are called olivettes. This principle makes it possible to cultivate the olive tree (or any other crop) on a more or less steep relief and subject to the climatic variations of the place. The dry stone construction technique is very simple: the heat of the day is stored by the stones which give it back at night: moreover, the absence of binder between the stones allows the infiltration of water. An ingenious system dating back to the dawn of time, which still contributes to the cultivation of olive trees in the Gard region.Meynes
Leave the greenway on the right to reach the parking of the municipal swimming pool and continue this road on the right towards Meynes. You can have a lunch break (picnic table). Follow the town centre and then the direction of the Manade Labourayre which you will pass by. When the weather is good, you will have the opportunity to observe the Camargue bulls which officiate in numerous bullfighting games (encierro, bandido, abrivado, Camargue race, ...). Take the road to the left and then to the right and keep your course. Take advantage of this small road before crossing the railway and returning to your starting point.
