Sommières
A medieval town, an inhabited Roman bridge, a fortified castle
Sommières, a little town character has been built around the Vidourle river. In Antiquity, during the 1st century AD, the Roman bridge was built under the command of the emperor Tibère. This structure with 21 arches and of nearly 200 metres long allows the Roman road which connects Nîmes to Toulouse, to cross over the Vidourle. Nowadays, this bridge is part of the rare inhabited bridges of Europe, such as the Ponte Vecchio.
Located on the rocky spur since the 11th century, the castle has known several attacks and changes of which we can still see some elements. First occupied by the Bermond d’Anduze et de Sauve family, Louis the 9th takes over in the 13th century. He made it a true fortress, gave it a chapel which with time, underwent many reshuffles because of Wars of Religion. Protestants, including women, were imprisoned there, and soldiers took a stay in the castle.
Nowadays, guided by a creative and playful staging inside the chapel, the audience discovers the town history and the castle history by going back in time…
Today, a part of the town of Sommières is classified as a protected area, and a policy of heritage protection and restoration has been set up.
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Download the historical route.
