Codognan’s local history can be viewed from two different perspectives: the Roman long-distance road, the Via Domitia, represents travel over long distances, while the Rhôny shapes the plain. The road reveals the wider transport network; the river brings the landscape and the earlier use of water into focus. There is also the history of a crossing over the Rhôny, which evolved through several forms of construction. These themes offer different perspectives on the town—from long-distance travel to everyday life along the water in earlier times.

The Via Domitia and its local connection

The Via Domitia was built around 118 BC as a 780-kilometre Roman road between Italy and Spain. Locally, its former route continues as the Chemin de la Monnaie, which forms the boundary between Vergèze and Codognan. Two scales thus meet: a long-distance connection between Italy and Spain, and a locally named route that marks a municipal boundary.

Between Nîmes and Ambrussum, the Via Domitia also crossed the Rhôny on a bridge. A fort was built beside this bridge to secure the crossing and collect tolls. The road’s history therefore encompasses more than the construction of a long route: security and toll collection also played a role at a river crossing. This section illustrates the infrastructure and control aspects of the Via Domitia, while the Chemin de la Monnaie establishes its local connection to Codognan.

The Rhôny as a river landscape

In the plain of Codognan, the Rhôny divides into several branches. Its meanders are also part of this landscape. In the past, the Rhôny and its meanders provided people and animals with water, supplied power, and helped fertilize and irrigate the soil along their course. The river is therefore not only part of the landscape, but is also connected with the earlier use of water and land.

This history of the river reveals a different time period from that of the road. Water supply, power, fertilization, and irrigation describe earlier functions and human uses. For visitors interested in local history, this offers a concrete comparison: the Via Domitia represents long-distance travel, while the Rhôny connects the town’s history with water and the use of the soil.

Historic crossings of the Rhôny

The history of crossing the Rhôny also shows how transport infrastructure has changed. It developed from a ford to a masonry footbridge, then to a bridge that could be flooded, and finally to a bridge that spanned the river. This sequence shows that there was not just one unchanged crossing, but several forms used in succession. If you are interested in historic mobility, this development offers a distinct perspective alongside the long-distance road: the focus is on the challenge of crossing a river and the different types of structures used to meet it over time.

For planning a themed visit, these offer three distinct perspectives: the Via Domitia represents long-distance travel, the Chemin de la Monnaie its local route and the municipal boundary, and the Rhôny the landscape and the earlier use of water. The development of the crossing adds another perspective on historic mobility. Depending on whether you are interested in the history of roads, rivers, or transport, you can choose a focus without conflating the themes.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Jean-Du-Gard, Quissac, Saint-Privat-De-Champclos, Villevieille, Barjac, Saint-Bauzély, Orthoux-Sérignac-Quilhan, Bagnols-Sur-Cèze

For the full travel overview: Gard.