Mollégès
Mollégès is a commune with 2540 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2011 ) in the department of Bouches -du -Rhône in the Provence- Alpes- Côte d' Azur.
Geography
The municipality is located in the north of the department of Bouches -du -Rhône on the northern edge of the Alpilles. It is located ten kilometers west of Cavaillon and twelve kilometers east of Saint- Remy- de -Provence.
History
The town's name derives from " molle gesium ": from ( German soft country). The previously existing wetlands here offered the first inhabitants of the place, not only water, but also protection from enemies. The Romans already used the wetlands. Therefore, a Roman aqueduct and a villa in Mollégès have been found. The proximity to the Roman settlement Glanum (now Saint- Rémy -de- Provence) have probably favored the development of the town. Around the year 1000 are in Mollégès only a few houses around the chapel of St. Thomas. The community is a kind of enclave of the diocese of Arles within the diocese of Avignon. It depends on the Montmajour Abbey at Arles. The monks built the church " Saint- Pierre-es -Liens ". In the twelfth century the ditch was built around the Abbey. 1208 was in Mollégès founded the Abbey of Sainte Marie, a nunnery. Founder was Sacristane of Porcellets. 1206 she married the Lord of Apt. Only in 1218 the abbey was in Mollégès to the monastery. From the thirteenth to the fifteenth century, the abbey acquired thereby a significant reputation that they worked hard for the prosperity of the region, but strove for autonomy itself. In its heyday, 50 nuns lived in the monastery, they carried the name " Dames de Mollégès ". Hard times like plague brought the monastery into trouble in 1436 left the nuns Mollégès forever. The abbey was then connected to the royal abbey of Sainte -Croix d' Apt, then, as before, the monastery, entitled to three -quarters of the taxes from Mollégès had. 1664 Louis XIV awarded the lien to the Abbess of Sainte Croix, which was ultimately the consequence that the nuns were able to expand their share of the taxes of Mollégès to seven-eighths. Finally, the Abbey was bought and the mansion Châteauneuf- Mollégès, the abbess still retains her right to live.
Culture and sights
- Remains of the old Cistercian abbey
- Church
Economy and infrastructure
Due to the favorable location of the village near Saint- Rémy, Avignon and Cavaillon, tourism is a very strong industry.
Policy
The leftist Maurice Bres is the municipality mayor since 2001. He is also the General Council of the Canton of Orgon.