Goudargues (; oc, Godargues) is a

commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

in the Gard department in southern

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

. Known locally as the ''Venise Gardoise'', because of the canal that flows through it centre. This is lined with pavement cafés and shaded by a two rows of mature plane trees.

History

The Romans are known to have been present in the locality. In AD 800,

Benedictine monks , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...

from

Aniane Aniane (; oc, Aniana) is a commune in the Hérault department in the Occitanie region in southern France. Population See also * Benedict of Aniane * Pont du Diable, Hérault * Mas de Daumas Gassac *Communes of the Hérault department Th ...

founded an abbey around the lake of Gordanicus. This lake, near the

Cèze The Cèze (; oc, Céser) is a karstic French river, a right tributary of the Rhône. It runs through the departments of Lozère and Gard in the Occitanie region. It is long, and its basin area is . Its source is in the Cévennes mountains, ...

was fed by natural springs. It was this abbey that is the basis of modern Goudargues- and the settlements name is derived from Gordanicus.

Geography

The village of Goudargues is situated in the

valley, to the north of the Gard department. Not too far from Avignon, the

Pont du Gard The Pont du Gard is an ancient Roman aqueduct bridge built in the first century AD to carry water over to the Roman colony of ''Nemausus'' ( Nîmes). It crosses the river Gardon near the town of Vers-Pont-du-Gard in southern France. The Po ...

Uzès Uzès (; ) is a commune in the Gard department in the Occitanie region of Southern France. In 2017, it had a population of 8,454. Uzès lies about north-northeast of Nîmes, west of Avignon and south-east of Alès. History Originally ''Uc ...

and Nîmes.

Population