
I discover with images
Serres, the medieval town
- Les Amis du village touristique aim to safeguard the historic architectural heritage, to preserve the environment and the setting of the village of Serres, while promoting tourism. They offer diverse animations:
- During Summer the guided tour of the village,
- "Les Belles Heures de Serres": a festival of crafts and art heritage during a weekend in August with demonstrations and animations in the old shops that are opened for the occasion.
- A self guided tour through the village along a route marked out with old photos - in December, the Christmas cribs’ path, where visitors in search of the scattered Nativity scenes are guided along the streets by signs with Christmas crib figures. (Nocturnal opening of the event with music).
FOCUS ON...
« Small towns of heritage interest » ?
170 towns in France with remarkable heritage wish to enhance and preserve it! Find the list of the « Petites cités de caractère ® on: www.petitescitesdecaractere.com
Garde-Colombe
The new community of Garde Colombe proudly sports its label of Petite Cité de caractère. It includes the villages of Lagrand, Eyguians, and Saint Genis, almost 600 inhabitants. This label is also a recognition for all the people who invest themselves daily to make their community more attractive, to make known its history, its patrimony, to make the villages more lively with their trade, their associations ...).
It is a small community where people know each other and where you will be welcomed with open arms: you will be invited to go back in time in the rebuilt former school of the village of Lagrand. You will be advised to taste the cheese produced on site, or to hike to the old Eygians. Here you are at home!
An association volunteer of the Amis du patrimoine will accompany you as a friend along the stone-paths of the hilltop village for its visit every Monday in Summer. The members of the association will guide you in the church, the ecomuseum, and the former school restored in the priory... They took advantage of the privileged situation of their old hilltop village to highlight its natural and built heritage laying at its feet and install an orientation table in the village of Lagrand.
In Eyguians, the association "Autour d’un relais de Poste"(around the post-house) created "La Poste Musée" on the edge of the RD1075, open Monday to Friday from 9 am to noon. This former Post Office is located in its very premises and offers visitors and users all of today’s modern services beside its museum side. You can see there items and documents about Post history and philately. Every year in the fall and during one week, the Post-Museum organizes an exhibition on a particular theme, with conferences and events. This brings life in the village together with a multitude of services to the customers!
The association "Entraide pour l’égise de Saint-Genis" worked a lot on the renovation project of the church of Saint Genis, the Saint Louis church, renovation just finished in May 2019 after more than 2 years of works. It was built by the abbot Blanchard who offered it to the town on July 4, 1882. At the request of the Heritage Foundation to which the town hall belongs, the interior of the church has been restored exactly as it was, building and furniture, by local craftsmen. The church is open every thursday in july and august from 2 pm to 5 pm .
The associations and several shops and craftsmen contribute to the village life.
- Every spring the Home Deco Fair (Salon de la Déco maison) is organized by the association "le chat de l’artisan" and the mattress maker installed on the village square; During a weekend, the craftsmen present on 3 exhibition rooms, workshops, demonstrations and sales around their core business.
The festival committees offer traditional entertainment such as the Saint-Jean fire on the 21st of June in Lagrand, the feast of Garde-Colombe with fireworks at the Riou lake, the votive festival in Saint-Genis or a hike to the old village of St-Genis in September which gathers all generations.
But the most famous event of the village is the turkey fair! A beautiful agricultural fair that takes place every 9th of September for almost 800 years!
There is plenty of entertainment... The Riou lake, tennis courts, quadbike and donkey rides, farm visits but also library activities, sports and leisure association and Yoga. Many hiking trails cover the territory; on foot, mountain bike or bike you will discover the old Eyguians and its botanical trail or the gorges of Riou! The Tourist Office will guide your choice with pleasure...
Did you know ?
Did you know that the "Petites Cités de Caractère®" showcase their specificities. They value an alternative and personalized welcome and thereby contribute to unifying and invigorating this network. Everyone sets oneself on the missions of safeguarding, restoring, maintaining, highlighting animating and promoting the heritage amongst residents and visitors in order to participate in the economic development of the territories and to make out of the “Petites Cités de Caractère®” an attractive touristic quality brand”.
(Cf. Jean-Bernard Vighetti, creator of the « Petites Cités de caractère ® »).