Noves

The name of the village likely comes from the Catalan feminine plural of “nou” (new), referring to a new village.

The area was already inhabited before the Romans arrived in antiquity. Indeed, the Durance River had a ford nearby, facilitating trade between tribes, including the Cavares and the Ligures. Two oppida were established, the larger of which, a predecessor of the current village, was situated atop the Puech (now Le Pieu) and belonged to the Cavares around 600 BCE.

In the 10th century, the Bishop of Avignon became the sole lord of the village, naming it “Terre de sainte Marie et de saint Étienne.” Concentrated at the foot of the castle and behind fortifications, very few traces of these defenses remain today.

The 12th century saw the expansion of the walls, which proved useful less than a century later.

The Bishop of Avignon, lord of Noves, clashed with the young lord of Eyragues, Pierre Amic, who sought to prove his worth while expanding his lands. The war ended with Noves’ victory, which reclaimed the Bournissac hill to cover the cost of the damages. This confrontation, which took place in 1232, is believed to have led to the destruction of the small village of Agel (or during the Siege of Arles in 1240, by the armies of the Count of Toulouse). In 1721, a plague struck the village. Of the 1,228 residents, 146 died. This relatively low number is attributed to the swift implementation of numerous rules that limited the spread and saved many lives: a infirmary, restricted movement, destruction of corpses, and quarantine of the sick in huts away from the village. A legend recounts that one of the streets in the village had all its houses infected. The inhabitants dug a mass grave in the center of the street and walled off both sides. Daily rations of food and lime were thrown over the wall, allowing survivors inside to eat and bury/burn their dead in the grave. When the epidemic ended (from August 6 to September 26), the walls were finally removed. A vast field of grass had grown in the street.

A well-known example of the blend between local folklore and history occurred in Noves in 1849, when a landowner accidentally discovered an ancient statue while uprooting a mulberry tree. Hidden among its roots and resting on a pile of stones, was the “Tarasque of Noves,” a creature with its front paws on the heads of two old men while devouring the arm of a third.

Dating from around 50 BCE, the creature is actually a lion, as it was often depicted in the region at that time. However, the locals associated this statue with their own legend of the Tarasque.

The Tarasque is a creature that lived on the rock above Tarascon and devoured anyone who approached it. According to legend, Saint Martha (sister of Lazarus and disciple of Jesus) approached the beast and, showing it compassion, managed to lead it into the town, harmless and guided by a silk scarf (or belt). Unfortunately, the villagers, furious and seeking revenge for the many lives claimed by the monster, attacked and killed it.

Initially compared to a water dragon, the creature has had many different representations. The most common is that of a beast with six short legs like those of a bear, a large spiked shell on its back, a scaly tail ending in a spike, and a vaguely human face with enormous fangs.