The Hermitage of Collias

Not far from Uzès the village of Collias is, in the valley of Gardon. This valley counts a significant number of prehistoric caves, of which famous “the cave of Bayol”, which is unfortunately closed with the public, and which shelters the paintings classified among oldest of the world.

The site of Collias is him even very old: arrows dating from the age of bronze and the votive steles were updated.  Among the votive steles found under the ruins of the Hermitage, in a small court which precedes the vault immediately, one of them, dating from the first century, carries the inscription “Aramoni Porticum Licina.P.F. Acceptilla Ex voto. D.S.P.F., which can result in “Licinia Acceptilla, Fille of Publius, raised with its expenses, in ex-voto, this vault with Aramon”.

This stele is with the museum of Nimes. Vinestock, which one finds only in Collias, was to be the name of a divinity topics since having nothing to do with the gods of Rome or Athens. (or it is Amon-Râ? In this case, Ptah misses… The trinity, plus the goddess-mother: beautiful program!)

In Greek KOLIAS is one of the nicknames of Aphrodite, goddess of the Love but which, for the Romans, is also, often the goddess of the sources. It could be thus that it is the source of the Hermitage which is in the beginning even name of the village.

And not far from Collias… the Hermitage thus. It was not easy to locate it, the non-existent signposts or almost… Charming Allemande tried to inform me. Damage, I keep my four years of the language of Goethe only few memories…

In short, the driving path with the sanctuary was localised. The way follows a river coming to throw itself in Gardon, and curves in the middle of the holm oaks. Several doors of life during the course indicate that the place must be with full knowledge of the facts approximate. The places were inhabited since the night of times, and I will not be astonished that guards were left on the spot.

Passed the Roman bridge, then the dry stone staircases, we arrive on the spot. The first thing which one sees is a furnace bridge in the open air, leaned with a small cliff.

Then what one calls the Hermitage, which is in fact a cave occupied as of the Neolithic era, arranged during years by the hermits who followed one another. First under the influence of Vérédème Saint, the last, Mailhan brother, at the end of the XVIII ème century.

A splendid fresco on the wall shows us an angel the open hands. Michel saint? If a Lady is present, its parèdre must be in the corner.

Finally the Notre-Dame vault of Laval.  Recently restored by the Association of the “Friends of the Hermitage”, it in fact is raised on the basis of Roman temple whose vestiges and steles were still places from there in 1887.

Inside, an inscription:

“Built on the site of a pagan temple (Celt-Gallic-Greeks and Romans), -50 years before J.C., Temple dedicated to Jupiter, March, Minèrve, Vinestock. With the XII ème century, the temple becomes vault dedicated to the virgin.”

Important a pélerinage was set up. Nothing the record of antan, the place are protected any more by its difficult access. As for holy the Balsam, or Rocamadour, it is necessary to climb a long time, to empty the body and the spirit, before meeting the heart of the place. Inside, a stoup carries the traces of a cross templière, and a statue representing the Lady?

The nose with the wind, without knowing his existence, I found myself on a cut stone base located at the top of the Hermitage, on which a cross is planted. It is of Roman construction, and nobody connait his utility. It was formerly surmounted by a small sanctuary dedicated to Saint Etienne.

So that the Romans built such a pertaining to worship whole in a place also lost, there is not any doubt that it was about a high crowned place.