La Grand-Combe
Encyclopedia
La Grand-Combe is a commune
in the Gard
department in southern France
.
from Les Salles-du-Gardon
. It is 13 km upstream and north of Alès
in the Cevennes gardoises
.
, Grand was the traditional spelling but the "e" was added to modern French in an attempt to harmonise the treatment of all adjectives. The name of the town took the spelling of la Grand’Combe but this has now been changed to la Grand-Combe.
, The commune was created in 1846, carved out of the communes de Laval
, Portes
, Sainte-Cécile-d'Andorge
, and Les Salles-du-Gardon
. It became the seat of the canton 12 years later in 1858. During the Middle Ages, the valley was one of the cradles of the Cevennes coal industry, but it really was not until around 1780 on the initiative of Pierre-François Tubeuf that industrial mining techniques were used. Shafts were sunk, and the galleries were supported with wooden pit-props.
The Compagnie des Mines de la Grand’Combe et des chemins de fer du Gard was formed in 1836 by Paulin Talabot (1799-1885). By 1841, the Cevennes line had been built through la Grand-Combe and Alès. The line was extended to Brioude
via Chamborigaud
in 1867.
The company was successful providing coal for the French Navy and merchant marine. It adopted the trademark of an anchor. Domestic coal was also shipped to Marseilles.
This was very much a company town, and the workers were provided for from birth to death with good wages, free accommodation, heating, education, a Catholic church (1856 to 1864), and a chapel (1868) at Trescol for the protestants.
After 1918, the town tended to elect mayors who were independent of the company. These were in the main socialist, or more recently communist. Though strikes were frequent, the company produced just under 1 million tonnes of coal annually. Coal was nationalised in 1946, and the companies regrouped modernized the more profitable mines. The Houillères du bassin des Cévennes had its peak year in 1958, when 20,000 workers mined 3.3 million tonnes of coal. Then in 1960, the town had 17,000 inhabitants, and numerous modern subsidized housing units and apartments were constructed, especially in Trescol. Today, Trescol has assisted area status(ZUS) due to it high unemployment rate.
The mines closed in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1968, Rochebelle àt Alès
closed, and in 1978, the Richard and Destival mines. Finally, in 1984, the Oules mine, so by 1985 there was no coal being mined in the Cévennes. The Richard mine was classified a historic monument on 14 May 2008. The population fell to 5187, and unemployment remains at 40%.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Gard
Gard
Gard is a département located in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region.The department is named after the River Gard, although the formerly Occitan name of the River Gard, Gardon, has been replacing the traditional French name in recent decades, even among French speakers.- History...
department in southern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Geography
The town lies on the opposite bank of the River Gardon d'AlèsGardon
The Gardon or Gard is a river in southern France. It is the namesake of the Gard département. Several of its tributaries are also called Gardon....
from Les Salles-du-Gardon
Les Salles-du-Gardon
Les Salles-du-Gardon is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
. It is 13 km upstream and north of Alès
Alès
Alès is a commune in the Gard department in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France. It is one of the sub-prefectures of the department. It was formerly known as Alais.-Geography:...
in the Cevennes gardoises
Cévennes
The Cévennes are a range of mountains in south-central France, covering parts of the départements of Gard, Lozère, Ardèche, and Haute-Loire.The word Cévennes comes from the Gaulish Cebenna, which was Latinized by Julius Caesar to Cevenna...
.
Etymology
In French "combe" is a feminine noun derived from the celtic noun cumba meaning valley. The feminine form of the adjective grand would suggest the use of a final "e", but here it uses the archaic form derived directly from latin- this can also be found in the spelling of "grand-mère", and "grand-rue" and in the place name La Grand-Croix (Loire)La Grand-Croix
La Grand-Croix is a commune in the Loire department in central France....
, Grand was the traditional spelling but the "e" was added to modern French in an attempt to harmonise the treatment of all adjectives. The name of the town took the spelling of la Grand’Combe but this has now been changed to la Grand-Combe.
History
This is a town which grew out of the industrial revolutionIndustrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
, The commune was created in 1846, carved out of the communes de Laval
Laval-Pradel
-External links:*...
, Portes
Portes, Gard
Portes is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Sainte-Cécile-d'Andorge
Sainte-Cécile-d'Andorge
Sainte-Cécile-d'Andorge is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Geography:The commune or Sainte Cécile d'Andorge is sparsely populated. It lies at the extreme north of the department of Gard, forming part of the border with Lozère...
, and Les Salles-du-Gardon
Les Salles-du-Gardon
Les Salles-du-Gardon is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
. It became the seat of the canton 12 years later in 1858. During the Middle Ages, the valley was one of the cradles of the Cevennes coal industry, but it really was not until around 1780 on the initiative of Pierre-François Tubeuf that industrial mining techniques were used. Shafts were sunk, and the galleries were supported with wooden pit-props.
The Compagnie des Mines de la Grand’Combe et des chemins de fer du Gard was formed in 1836 by Paulin Talabot (1799-1885). By 1841, the Cevennes line had been built through la Grand-Combe and Alès. The line was extended to Brioude
Brioude
Brioude is a commune in the Haute-Loire department in the Auvergne region in south-central France. It lies on the banks of the River Allier, a tributary of the Loire.-History:...
via Chamborigaud
Chamborigaud
Chamborigaud is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.The village is known for its stunning viaduct, designed by Charles Dombre, the construction of which ended in 1867. Unlike most other bridges of this type, the curve of the Viaduct of Chamborigaud faces...
in 1867.
The company was successful providing coal for the French Navy and merchant marine. It adopted the trademark of an anchor. Domestic coal was also shipped to Marseilles.
This was very much a company town, and the workers were provided for from birth to death with good wages, free accommodation, heating, education, a Catholic church (1856 to 1864), and a chapel (1868) at Trescol for the protestants.
After 1918, the town tended to elect mayors who were independent of the company. These were in the main socialist, or more recently communist. Though strikes were frequent, the company produced just under 1 million tonnes of coal annually. Coal was nationalised in 1946, and the companies regrouped modernized the more profitable mines. The Houillères du bassin des Cévennes had its peak year in 1958, when 20,000 workers mined 3.3 million tonnes of coal. Then in 1960, the town had 17,000 inhabitants, and numerous modern subsidized housing units and apartments were constructed, especially in Trescol. Today, Trescol has assisted area status(ZUS) due to it high unemployment rate.
The mines closed in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1968, Rochebelle àt Alès
Alès
Alès is a commune in the Gard department in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France. It is one of the sub-prefectures of the department. It was formerly known as Alais.-Geography:...
closed, and in 1978, the Richard and Destival mines. Finally, in 1984, the Oules mine, so by 1985 there was no coal being mined in the Cévennes. The Richard mine was classified a historic monument on 14 May 2008. The population fell to 5187, and unemployment remains at 40%.