Circulades

The churches of Saint-Jean and Saint-Geniès-de-Litenis are recorded as possessions of the Abbey of Gellone in Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert as early as the 9th century. The monks decided to develop the square around the church of Saint-Jean at the spot known as the ‘Gouffre Noir’ or ‘Black Chasm’ between 1031 and 1060, a development that resulted from the building of the Pont du Diable, thereby making the village an important stopping-place on the road from Gellone to Montpeyroux.

From the 12th century, Saint-Jean was encircled by a first defensive rectangular wall which took in the church. This was soon considered to be inadequate and, at the end of the same century, was reinforced by the building of a second fortification, thereby giving the village its name: ‘Saint-Jean du Fort’, later to evolve into Saint-Jean-de-Fos. This historic centre has retained all its medieval features down the centuries. It has narrow winding streets and houses huddled closely together. Two large outlying districts were built in the 14th century, protected by approach defences first mentioned in the 17th century.

However, the heritage interest to be found by visiting Saint-Jean-de-Fos is not solely related to the growth of the town or its architecture. This village is actually a place where a 600-year-old tradition is carried on. It can be glimpsed not only on the facades of the houses, in parts of the ridge-tiles, fall-pipes and guttering, but also where it is carefully exhibited in the town’s collection of kitchen utensils and decorative objects.
 
This is the glazed pottery of Saint-Jean-de-Fos, an important part of its history. It is a skill handed down from father to son and has created dynasties linked to the trade. The village has lived at the pace of its traditions and still carries them on today by holding one of the largest potters’ markets in the region every year on the first weekend in August.

This is a place not to be missed when you are in the area of the Pont du Diable and the Hérault Gorges, a village reflected in its glazed pottery and in the authentic character of its heritage, with its sober limestone buildings enlivened by green ceramic highlights, the colour of hope for the future...


Previous page