The Regordane Way
The Regordane Way is the southernmost section of the historical route that links Paris to Lower Languedoc and the Camargue. It runs from Le Puy-en-Velay, south west of St Etienne to Saint-Gilles-du-Gard to the south west of Nîmes, a distance of 211 kilometres or 140 miles.
The origin of its name is most likely that of the ancient Province through which it passes – la Regordana. This Province corresponded approximately to the triangular area linking the towns of Alés, Pradelles and L'Argentière.
Its existence dates back to the dawn of man and its importance certainly grew from the year 843 onwards, when it became the most easterly route of a nascent Gaul. The Regordane was the fourth most important pilgrimage route in Christendom during this era, bolstered by its strategic position as a point of departure for Santiago de Compostela, the Holy Land (St Gilles was a port at the time) and Rome.
Sources
- Marcel GIRAULT. Le Chemin de Régordane. Nîmes, Lacour, 3e éd. 1988.
External links
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