Candillargues, Herault, Occitania, France

Candillargues is a French commune located in the department of Hérault, in region Occitan. The village of Candillargues is located about 15 kilometers east of the center of Montpellier and about 4 kilometers from Mauguio, capital of the canton.

The municipal territory is located on the north shore of the Orang lake and is bordered by the Cadoule to the west and the Bérange to the east.

History
The first traces of occupation of the territory of Candillargues date from prehistoric times and are located in the marshy area bordering the Etang de l’Or and near the mouth of the Bérange. The location of these sites allowed fishing, hunting, but also exchanges with the outside. These lagoon sites were abandoned around 550-525 BC. It will be necessary to wait for the Gallo-Roman era to discover again traces of occupation (stone). We see the emergence of a dispersed habitat, the development of new lands and the creation of centurial cadastres.

The toponym “Candillargues” is inherited from the name of a Gallo-Roman estate, built on the Latin name Candidius or Candillius. Villa Candianicas was the domain of Candidius. Candianicis first name of Candillargues would have given Candihargues at the beginning of 1500. While Montpellier did not yet exist, and the Count of Melgueil was the undisputed master of the region in the 10th-11th century, two housing sectors appear around the church and the Saint Corme cemetery.. later following a resurgence of vigor in repopulation, a change in size occurs with the emergence of a new settlement point around the current village.

In feudal times, a certain Guillaume, count, bequeathed to the monastery of Psalmodi the church of Saint Côme and Damien, as well as the church of Notre Dame with its enclosure and its houses, all located in Candilllargues. In a bull dated from Saint Peter in Rome, on May 1, 1099, Pope URBAN 2 confirmed to the monastery of Psalmodi everything he had, including the Church of Saint Mary in Candillargues. It is believed that the current Saint Blaise Church dating from the 12th century was built on the foundations of the Saint Mary Church. In 1172, Beatrix, Countess of Melgueil, consented to the subjugation of the seigneury of Candillargues to Bernard and Bertrand Moine with the obligation to accommodate thirty knights requisitioned in the event of war by their lord or bishop. During the troubled period of the Hundred Years War (1337-1453) Languedoc suffered from looting, epidemics, famine and royal taxes ruined trade. In the middle of the 14th century Raymond de Melgueil was Lord of Candillargues and Fabrègues with Béranger Delmas.

In 1336, Alayssette, daughter of Raymond de Melgueil and wife of Guillaume Pons, Lord of Candillargues, handed over the keys of Candillargues in homage and gratitude to Antoine, bishop of Maguelone and count of Mauguio.

In 1453 the Hundred Years War was over without any peace treaty being signed. But the fear of disturbances persisted: we then witnessed numerous fortifications. This was the case with Candillargues which became a fortified place in 1431. It will remain so until 1723. From 1511, Philippe de Lauzelergues bought half of the seigneury of Candillargues. The other half of the seigneury was bought by Noble de Lauzelergues. While the bishopric of Maguelone was losing its importance, it was transferred to Montpellier. The Protestants formed a real power, they revolted and the wars of religion began, we are in 1559-1560. From 1561 to 1567, the political power of Montpellier had passed into the hands of the Calvinists. In 1621 the Huguenots decided to demolish the churches, Marsillargues, Mudaison, Candillargues among others, paid the price. Candillargues still depended on the county of Mauguio and the bishop was in possession of the entire high justice.

In the 17th century, the community of Candillargues withdrew a right called “right of robinage” on goods (wine, wheat, rope, iron, figs, rice but also stone, wool, leather, sugar, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, straw, etc,…) which passed on the canal, the main production of its land consisted of cereals. The current bell of the church dates from 1640, the castle and two other houses also belong to this century. From 1631, we find the name of Jean André de la Croix, Lord of Candillargues, who wished, by will dated June 22, 1660, to be buried in the chapel of Notre-Dame-du-Rosaire, in the church of Candillargues. Between 1680 and 1782, Candillargues almost disappeared. The harsh winters, the floods, the epidemics, weaken the population because “the people always sick or languishing give up their possessions and move away from a land which devours its inhabitants”. Candillargues owes its survival to the immigration of poor “wanderers” from the mountains, some of whom settled there.

In 1744: Candillargues had a “regent” (schoolmaster) 6 or 7 boys, one mainly learned religion there. The girls were entrusted to the regent’s daughter, in a room separate from the boys.

In 1740 marks the beginning of the dryings on the Languedoc coast. In the 18th century, Candillargues was part of the County of Mauguio owned by the Bishop of Montpellier. The village was one of the most miserable in the province. In 1787, the parish priest of Pérols, charged by his province with works for the sanitation of the air, had work undertaken leading the waters of the Bérange to the canal allowing stagnant water to be driven out and the ambient air to be cleaned up. 1789: the Revolution abolishes feudal privileges, proclaims the “Declaration of Human Rights”. The old provinces give way to departments, districts, cantons and communes. Mauguio became the capital of the canton comprising 6 towns, Mauguio, Candillargues, Lansargues, Mudaison, Saint Nazaire and Pérols plus the hamlets of Palavas and Saint Aunès. From that year, the marshes and palus were divided between the three communities Mudaison, Mauguio and Candillargues.

In 1791 the National Guard was organized to deal with the internal and external difficulties of the new governments. Each commune formed guards, Mauguio and Lansargues formed 200 guards, Mudaison and Pérols 50 guards, Saint Nazaire and Candillargues 10 guards. During the Revolution, Candillargues took the name ‘Côme de la Palus’, Mauguio the name ‘Mont Salaison’.

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1829: 170 inhabitants. 1841: construction of a school for children of both sexes and of a presbytery. It was covered (paid) by an extraordinary tax, completed in 1851. 1851: 90 inhabitants 1872: the canton of Mauguio only counts outside the capital, 4 municipalities: Saint Aunès, Mudaison, Lansargues, Candillargues. Thanks to its vineyard, the town of Candillargues is experiencing a prosperous period with all the viticulture. 1887: 200 inhabitants

1874: Project of construction of the boys’ school (current town hall). At the request of a grant of 7000 F, the departmental council of the Academy replied in 1875: “The town is rich; it has its own resources which come from the rents of communal property (1000 F from the State + 1000 F from the Department). 1907: wine crisis. 1912: 300 inhabitants

Aviation runway
The vines developed xix th century gave way to the tree growing in the second half of the xx th century with the introduction of the irrigation channel of the Lower Rhone-Languedoc passing two kilometers north to Mudaison.

On the edge of the pond, the aerodrome has a 900 meter runway and is used for microlight flights.

The Castle of Candillargues
The Castle of Candillargues is a building of the xvii th century identified in the general inventory of cultural heritage. It is located at Place du Château, in Candillargues, in the Hérault department.

In the xiii th century, the cartulary of Maguelone mentions a castrum of Candilhanicis. Jean de Lauzelergues bought the seigneury of Candillargues in 1624 and had the building built there today. This last passed by succession to the family of La Croix, of ancient Languedoc nobility, which kept it until after the Revolution. There followed, in the xix th century, different owners including Emile Galtayries making it the center of a huge vineyard. In 1893 the cellar was made up of 5 cellars which could contain 40,000 hectoliters. The growth and needs of the estate influence the demography of the village, which went from 92 inhabitants in 1851 to 200 in 1887, then 300 in 1912.

In 1931 and 1935, the estate was divided between heirs and sold to different buyers. The castle was divided into lots in the 1980s. Inside, the monument has ribbed vaults and an interesting staircase with straight flights continuing in a dead screw.

The castle of Candillargues is a private property. It is the subject of a census in the General Inventory of Cultural Heritage.

The church of Candillargues
The church of Candillargues was founded in the xii th century. The bell dates from 1648. The year 1978 is marked by the discovery of old frescoes. The church and the street are named after the patron saint of the village: Blaise. Each year, the Candillarguois celebrate the feast of Saint-Blaise the first weekend of February. At the height of the festivities reigns the bull in the rope. The inhabitants of the villages and towns which perpetuate this custom are currently in a great battle against the prefect in order to be able to preserve these Camargue festivities which are their history

Food market
At the request of the Mayor and by dispensation from the Prefect, an open-air market is set up in the town.

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