The basket weavers of Vallabrègues

Certain villages are intrinsically linked to their activities.

Arts and craft industry

In the case of Vallabrègues, Gard, basket weaving has been at the heart of (pre)occupations for centuries. Far from being limited to an itinerant trade practised by a few nomads, this sedentary craft activity was practised by a quarter of the inhabitants! In the agricultural plain subject to the whims of the Rhône River, the numerous reed beds allowed many basket weavers to make articles for the home and for fishing. But the arrival of new materials like plastic and cardboard, tolled the bell for an era when life in and around the village was intense and festive. Little by little, the reed beds disappeared and the basket weavers disappeared with them.

In 1990, the inhabitants of Vallabrègues got together to revive the spirit of the «baïssiers» – the joyous return to the village of the men who had spent many weeks out gathering Camargues reeds. Every summer since then, for two days Vallabrègues resumes its role as Basket weaving Capital, as sung by Frédéric Mistral. A museum was opened in 1994, presenting a collection of over a thousand articles and tools linked to basket weaving and craft making, namely from Vallabrègues. Throughout the exhibition, numerous photos illustrate life in the old workshops and in the village. The visit ends with a film, screened in the audiovisual room.

Municipal museum of basket making and crafts in Vallabrègues
Tel. 33 (0)4 66 59 48 14 - Website

Tourist Office of Beaucaire
Tel. 33 (0)4 66 59 26 57 - Website