résurgences on vissec

 This post is retrospective: 2010 in fact: not 2023……

Vissec, for just a week, was selected from a limited range of possibilities in this area of the Cévennes; probably the particular draw was its proximity to Navacelles (there was nothing available to rent there so Vissec was the nearest possible). This was back in 2010 by the way. The house Mary secured was ancient, clearly loved, rambling, on many levels, rickety, dusty, stylish and faded grand, under gradual improvement, sitting in a secluded and overgrown garden that trailed down to the dry river bed (I've framed it in the hill top view of the village – no that's not it [left] – that's a moulin de la foux, a watermill, read on, read on). Vissec has no visible river you see: the Vis has disappeared underground through its fissured and permeable limestone bed. I bet it runs in its bed in the winter at times, otherwise why bother with the road bridge over? So that's the name of the village sorted: Vis Sec (dry) get it? 

We decided (as one of our ‘great-days-out’) to explore the Vis valley downstream to find the Vis resurgence, helpfully marked on our IGN map, and linked to Vissec by a sentier botanique.

It was a delightful walk. In a week of generally inclement weather we chose the sunniest of days. Late June presents the widest range of flowers. Vissec was fragrant with lime blossom, honeysuckle and spanish broom.

Disputatious nightingales abounded, butterflies cavorted, there were fat cherries to feast on. In short, we thought (well I did – and still do) the place to be quite close to heaven, at least when the sun got through. We: the three of us that is; Adam was still with us on this holiday, Vissec being part one and Bize-Minervois part the second of this, the 2010 excursion…

Our Moulins walk had it all. The valley track petered out so we took to the river bed chaos. This became too deep and fractured to follow so we scrambled over an incised meander to join the sentier botanique indicated on the IGN that takes easier ways over the river cliffs, through scrub, chestnut, oak and pine forest, scattered pasture, and across screes, round bluffs and tors of oolitic mesozoic limestone. The range of flowers, insects and birds was joyous. Limestone y’see. Then a sharp descent to the persistent roar of water, down at last to the Moulins-de-la-Foux and the Résurgence-de-la-Vis. They are but one and the same, near-enough. What a place!

The ancient mills are open for inspection. Heavy grindstones are in evidence. The Vis has been diverted from its natural point of emergence to flow out from under the mills: we were able to clamber into the former exit cave which was largely dry. The miller’s accommodation is still extant but shorn of domestic trappings, now reduced to a place for interpretation panels and temporary shelter. The mills are deep in a forested grove; one can hardly make one’s self heard above the thunder of the emerging waters. We had the location to ourselves save for two walkers who came down from the Navacelles road…which we deduced must have been the supply route for these mills. The origins for the mills go back over 900 years: they've been destroyed by flood and human hand several times, rebuilt and finally ceased working in 1907.

I loved it. Imagine how intimidating the place might be in bad weather, at night or after heavy rain. One can only wonder at the effort needed to bring grain down to the mill and to take back out the flour produced. The stones no longer grind, the waterwheel is long gone. Imagine also just what it is like down here in summer! Honey pot writ large!! Hordes of the things, damn it (or so I gather from the internet). 

We returned to Vissec by the amenity of the botanique sentier: we had it to ourselves. That's a purple emperor butterfly (right). If suitable conveyance could have been arranged to meet us, we could have carried on to Navacelles and returned to Vissec from there, but you can’t have everything on a plate can you? Anyway, it was a good job we got this fair-weather day in because quite a lot of our stay in Vissec was, shall we say, changeable… we managed another walk over the high hill tops south of Vissec, also with long views over limestone uplands… that was something else…

Here is lime blossom, here is honeysuckle, here are fat cherries to eat. You'll have to take my word on the nightingales, not to mention the passing sheep with their bells shepherds and attendant mountain dogs… ah me! Butterflies, did I mention them?