Grèzes, Lozère

Grèzes is a commune with 207 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2011 ) in the Lozere department in the Languedoc- Roussillon region. It belongs to Canton Marvejols and the Local Government Association, Communauté de communes du Gevaudan.

Geography

Grèzes is in the Gevaudan on the slope of Truc de Grèzes, a witness mountain limestone, which offers views of the Causse and the margin Ride. Neighboring municipalities are Palhers in the northwest and Cultures in the southeast. Grèzes located 6 kilometers south-east from the cantonal capital Marvejols and 13 kilometers west of Mende.

History

Archaeological excavations in 1998 and 1999 on the western slope of the Truc de Grèzes proved to be difficult because tombs from the Middle Ages were not to be damaged, and 37 tombs dating from the 5th and 6th centuries were found. Eventually, however, they found remnants of temporary dwellings from the Neolithic period.

On the top of Truc de Grèzes potsherds were found, suggesting that there was a Celtic settlement of the tribe of Gabali. In the 3rd century a Roman military camp Gredonense castrum was built to replace the old oppidum on the summit of the mountain, on a slope, a village was formed called Gredone. Where at that time was a Gredone Cippus and two Roman columns were found. At the summit they found tiles, pottery shards, a bronze statue of the emperor Aurelian ( 214-275 ), and Roman coins. According to Gregory of Tours ( 538-594 ) of the Alamanne Chrocus fell with his troops into the Gévaudan. The inhabitants of the area around Grèzes entrenched themselves in the Roman Castrum and were besieged there. The Alamanni tried Gabali by the capture of the Bishop of Mende private († 259/260 ) to force them to surrender. However, this was not possible, then the Alamanni freely left the Gabali. Private succumbed to his injuries.

Attractions

The Romanesque parish church of Saint- Frézal that the Holy Frézal († 828 ), a bishop of Mende, is dedicated, was built in the 12th century and enlarged in the 14th century. The interior of the church is painted. It was registered in 2001 in the Additional List of Monuments historiques (historical monuments ).