Mines, soils, quarries at the center of a rich and innovative weekend in Lodévois Larzac

La communauté de communes organise et coordonne un programme très chargé et très intéressant. Midi Libre – ALAIN MENDEZ

Le territoire met en avant un thème évoquant son passé toujours dans l’actualité au travers de différentes conférences et visites, les 20, 21 et 22 septembre.

While some local stakeholders will be exploring the national theme “The heritage of roads, networks and connections”, Lodévois and Larzac, Country of Art and History has chosen to celebrate a key element of its history during days that are always very popular with the general public: mines, soils and quarries. Several sites will thus be exceptionally accessible to the public.

“We wanted to explore this theme”

"Beyond observation, it is also a question of deciphering extraction techniques, exploitation logics and their evolutions over time" recalls Jean-Marc Sauvier, vice-president of the community of communes. The existence of extraction sites has been attested for at least 5,000 years in Languedoc and South Aveyron, and Lodévois is not to be outdone with the medieval silver-bearing copper mines of Lodève, Soubès or Fozières, the sandstone beds of Soumont, the recent history of the uranium deposits of Bosc or the active aggregate quarry of Usclas-du-Bosc.

“We wanted to explore this theme. Actors are still there and in the news. On the former Bosc mining site, part of which has been transformed into an economic park, or with the Terres d'Hérault Geopark” adds Prune Gasnault, heritage facilitator. The opening evening on Friday, September 20 at the Confluence center will set the tone with two conferences: The mineral wealth of Lodévois and its exploitation through the ages by geologist Michel Lopez and The sociological history of uranium in Lodévoisby ethnologist Marine Robillard. They will be joined the following Saturday afternoon in the field at Bosc for two four-part tours of the former Cogema-Simo site.

In Usclas-du-Bosc and Cabrières too…

The Heritage Days program also offers free public events in Lodévois on Saturday 21: History of mining resources with Stéphane Fouché head of scientific collections, Saturday à 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. at the Lodève Museum (reservations required at the museum); visit to the Matèriaux Grand Sud aggregate quarry, exceptionally open on Saturday at 10 a.m. at Usclas-du-Bosc (reservations required at the Lodèvois Larzac tourist office).

The Clermontais also participates in this theme with several events around Cabrières, a major place of world geology with the Vissou peak and its rocks more than 500 million years old.

&Through free public walks in nature, the public will discover the rich geology of the places and the history of thousand-year-old mines accompanied by by Michel Lopez, geologist, from the ACAC association, in charge of archaeological excavations and Patrick Hernandez, tour guide at the Heritage department of the Salagou Cœur d’Hérault community of communes: Archaeological excavations of the Gallo-Roman metallurgy workshop of Condamines, Saturday 21 at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 2:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m. Signposted from the Cabrières road to Pèret. Duration 30 minutes (no reservation). The Roussignole mines around Pioch de Jaffet, Sunday 22 à 10 hours from the Estabel cellar. Duration 2 hours 30 (reservation required at the Destination Salagou tourist office on 04 67 96 23 86); The mines of Pioch Farrus, Sunday 22 à 2 p.m. departing from the town hall. Followed by a wine tasting at the Estabel cellar. Duration 2 hours 30. (reservation required).

This weekend will also be an opportunity to explore Lodévois and Larzac to discover must-see places and sites such as the Lodève apothecary, the Saint-Pierre de la Fage windmill, water management in La Vacquerie, the Saint-Maurice old trades fair or the history of Saint-Félix-de-l’Héras… Not forgetting the games and workshops at the Lodève museum.

Information at the tourist office or at the museum. Full program on: lodevoisetlarzac.fr.