Caveirac

Commune

Chateau

Coat of arms

Caveirac

Location within Occitanie region

Caveirac

Coordinates: 43°49′34″N 4°15′46″E / 43.8261°N 4.2628°ECoordinates: 43°49′34″N 4°15′46″E / 43.8261°N 4.2628°E

Country

Government

• Mayor (2008–2014)

Bernard Bergogne

Area¹

15.2 km² (5.9 sq mi)

Population (2008)²

3,754

• Density

250/km² (640/sq mi)

Time zone

CET (UTC+1)

• Summer (DST)

CEST (UTC+2)

INSEE/Postal code

30075 /30820

Elevation

57–208 m (187–682 ft)
(avg. 93 m or 305 ft)

¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

²Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Caveirac is a commune and a village in the Gard department in southern France. It is located 8 km (5 mi) west of Nîmes and is the first village in the Vaunage reached when travelling from Nîmes. Its early history is unclear but it was in existence by the year 893. Its main feature is the Chateau of Caveiric, a notable building which now houses the town hall. The surrounding area of plains and low hills is agricultural and there are extensive vineyards.

Caveirac is located 8 km (5 mi) west of Nîmes and 19 km (12 mi) east of Sommières. It is the first village encountered when the fertile agricultural plain known as the Vaunage is entered from the east. Near the town is a hill, Pic Caveirac, from which the surrounding peaks of Mont Ventoux, La Grande Motte, Les Alpilles, Pic Saint Loup and Mont Aigoual can be seen.

The name of Caveirac originates from the Gallo-Roman name of Cavarius and the Gaulish suffix -acos, together designating a property on the site of the villa which belonged to Cavarius. The site stood on a Roman road, of which a milestone excavated in the comune was purchased and installed in the paving of the square before the Château. Its name was first mentioned in 893 in an act of sale recorded by the cathedral of Nîmes: "in territorio civitatis Nemausensis in vicaria Valle Anagia in villas quas nominant…Cavariago". There are a number of traces of the early occupation of the land around Caveirac, including funeral stones and the remains of farming properties, but they are all rather vague.

In 1653, Jacques Boisson of Nîmes purchased the territory of Caveirac including the castle, houses and furnishings. In so doing, he acquired the title of Lord of Caveirac and went on to renovate the castle, completing the work in 1660. The building changed hands several times over the ensuing centuries.

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Wikipedia