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Pézenas,
The city discovery |
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A
CITY OF ART
The architectural heritage of Pézenas is made of numerous
constructions from the 16th through the 18th century, the 17th century
being the most represented. Several examples include: private mansions
of Barons de Lacoste, Hotel des Flottes de Cébazan, Hotel
de Platavit, Hotel des landes de Saint Palais, Hotel d'Alfonce,
Gely's barber shop, several churches and chapels (collégiale
Saint Jean, Eglise Sainte Ursule, ancient chapel of the Pénitents
Noirs).
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MUSEE
DE VUILLOD - SAINT GERMAIN
3, rue Albert-Paul Alliès
Open daily in winter from 10-12 & 2-5 pm Vlosed Monday &
Sunday morning
Summer: open daily from 10-12 & 2-7pm.
Information : call (33) 4 67 98 90 59
The
museum was founded in 1945 and installed in the Saint Germain hotel,
whose 16th century edifice was restored in the 19th century.
The collections are mainly representative of popular art and traditions,
decorative arts, fine arts, and to the memory of Molière.
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MAISON
DES METIERS D'ART
6, Place Gambetta
Winter Hours : daily from 2-6pm
Summer Hours : daily from 4-8 pm
Information : (33) 4 67 98 16 12
The
Center was set up to promote craftsmanship in such manual arts as
iron-, stone-, and woodworking, as well as technical jobs of the stage
(the presence of Molière in the city explains this). International
exhibitions are organized throughout the year.
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HOTEL D'ALFONCE
Situated at 32 rue Conti, this beautiful private mansion of the 17th
century was used as a theater by Molière for several months.
Its interior courtyard, railings and stairs date from the 15th century.
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ART
GALERIES
Galerie de l'Hôtel de Wicque : 9/11 rue de la Foire
Espace d'Art Contemporain Diogène : 3, rue Four de la Ville
Jean-Paul Combettes : rue Triperie Vieille
Monique Pages : 12, rue Conti
Chantal Galvain : Atelier B - Rue François Oustrin
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ABBAYE
DE VALMAGNE (à 15 KM)
Abbaye de Valmagne (15km) : One of the best preserved example of
Cistercian art in France
The
Abbaye de Valmagne was founded in 1138 by Raymond Trencavel. From
the 12th to the 14th century, it was one of the richest abbeys in
the south of France. Since the Revolution, the Abbey has served
as a place to age the wines of Valmagne. Each year, it welcomes
a classical music festival.
Since
1985, the wines of Valmagne have received the AOC classification.
The choice of grapes , limited production and the use of modern
techniques have allowed these wines to achieve national and international
notoriety.
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| TRADITIONS |
Le
Poulain
This seven-century-old tradition consists of a parade through the
village with an enormous wooden horse covered with a starry blue cloth.
It commemorates the birth in Pezenas of King Louis VIII's mare’s
foal during the king’s stay in Pézenas in 1226. Carried
by nine strong men, « the Poulain » opens all of the city’s
celebrations
Le
Tambourin
Ancient game of ball, which has it own tournaments. It is a variant
of the famous "jeu de paume".
This ancient ball game is a variant of the famous "jeu de paume".
All the ball games of Antiquity and of the regimes before the Revolution
are the source of Tambourin. The Aztecs and the Egyptians seem to
have been the first to play ball games. The Hebrews, Greeks and Romans
continued this practice. In the "jeu de paume" , the first
points marked were counted 15, 30 and 45, then the game was won. Since
1938, the game of Tambourin has been regulated by a federation which
organizes official meetings.
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