Originally
Bouzigues was a troglodyte village, inhabited by semi-nomadic shepherds and semi-settled fishermen.
In summer they lived by the lake-side and in winter in the caves of the Bausses.
The name Bouzigues was first recorded in the 4th Century.
The village passed successively through the control of the romans, the visigoths, the French an the Spanish, then in the 8th Century the Saracens and the Romans occupied the province.
In the 12th Century, the Languedoc region was divided up for the first time.
In the 1191, this area was split between Loupian, Poussan and Bouzigues.
The lord of Bouzigues, as a vassal of the lords of Loupian and Poussan, received the smallest share, a stripe of land just 1 kilometre wide (today's village boundary date from this area).
Construction of the village :
In the 14th and 15th centuries, Bouzigues was a thriving community, the chateau and the church were built.
The chateau
:
Home of the Barons of Bouzigues and situated in place du General Reynes, the only visible remains of the chateau are the main building (the two towers were knocked down during the revolution, and the west wing fell down in 1918) and the handing gardens which can be seen from the promenade.
Interestingly an internal staircase once connected the handing garden with the shore via door at water level (today, the Avocette annexe).
The last direct and indirect descendants of the Lords of Bouzigues, were the Marquis of Castries, Marshal of France, and closer to the present day, General de Castries.
The Gates
:
In the 17th century, Bouzigues had no ramparts, but was entirely enclosed by a wall, with 3 gateways and an alley (today's rue du Four) which could be easily barred.
1. Porte de Montpellier, Bellow the Grand'Rue,
2. Porte de Lupian , bellow les Beauces hill,
3. Known as the Port Gate, at the foot of rue Gaston Augé.
The Houses
:
The buildings, virtually all of which belonged to the lord, huddled closely together.
The streets were very narrow, and each house had only one wondow, because a window-tax was payable to the Lord.
The Streets
:
The roads were poorly maintained, rainwater and sewage ran down the centre.
In the 1689, the roads were paved : each householder had to pay the cost of maintenance of the section in front of his house.
The Stone walll below rue des Beauces dates from this period.
The communal Well
:
The well, constructed in 1671, can still be seen in Chemin des Aiguilles.
Its water was renowned, advertised by the engineers from Cette (Sète) whorked on the port.
The Oven
:
The village oven, situated in what is today 9 rue Du Four, was open 5 times a week.
The Cemetery
:
The cemetery was formely around the church. From 1678, the lords of Bouzigues were intered in the church, in the rosary chapel.
The middle classes were buried at the back or near the church door, and the common people in the cemetery. The cemetery was moved in 1854.
The Church
:
The first public clock was erected on the church in 1673.
The church extension was begun in 1758 and completed in 1752. The parish belonged to the bishopric of Agde.
Resources
:
The village depended on agriculture (olives, corn, wine and later, flax, hemp, madder) and on fishing.
The Port
:
The port was built in 1670 to shelter the boats which transported oil, wine and other merchandise.
It was situated at the foot of what is today Place Général de Gaulle. To maintain the port, a duty was levied on all goods loaded and unloaded there.
The Scholl
:
The school used to be held in the communal house in place du Château, and was also used as a meeting room.
The school teacher, or "Master", was paid by parents of the pupils. The first community boys' school dates from 1879, and was held in the former hall building. Today's school was built in 1907, and opened the doors to its first students in October of the year.
Communications
:
The main road known as the "Post Higway" was built at the beginning of the 1972 revolution.
It crossed the Languedoc region from Pont St-Esprit to Castelsarrasin (via Nîmes, Montpellier, Béziers, Narbone, Carcassone and Toulouse).
The Beach
:
The village beach, known as the the "Pyramid" takes its name from "Las Pyramidas", the markers indicating the rocks which just break the surface of the water.
