The Babau legend
A story that still shakes the hearts of the people of Rives-Altais!
Once upon a time, on February 2, 1290 in Rivesaltes, during a peaceful night, a commotion broke out: six babies had just been killed by a huge beast that had entered through the forat del forn. Another night, the village watchman spotted an iguana in the Agly, with a fearsome jaw and impressive claws. When the mayor asked for a description of the animal, the man, now stammering with fear, could only articulate "va... vau...", i.e. "il a.... il a....". This is how "va vau" became "Ba bau".
But who's going to bring the monster down?
The right man for the job is Galdric Trencaven, lord and crossbowman. He hung pigs from the ramparts to bait the beast. He had to watch for several nights before the monster appeared again. At the end of the fourth night, the lord was finally able to shoot two fatal arrows into the animal's throat to bring it down! The population celebrated the end of this terrible drama with a memorable banquet.
Today, a rib can be seen at the Rivesaltes Tourist Office. If you pass by, you'll be able to see it.
The Joffre Museum
The birthplace of the famous Marshal Joffre
Joseph Joffre was born on January 12, 1852, in the house that would become the museum we know today. He is considered the hero of the Battle of the Marne in the First World War.
Located in the heart of the old town of Rivesaltes, the 200 m2 museum is spread over 3 levels. The first floor is devoted to the career and life of the Marshal. On the second floor, in the family apartment, you'll find the room where he was born, his office furnished with authentic items from the Avenue de Lamballe in Paris, where he wrote his memoirs, and gifts given to him during his career. The second floor is dedicated to the Battle of the Marne, with an animated relief map and slide show.
The museum is a listed historic monument, and in 2011 was awarded the "Maison des illustres" label.
Did you know? Domaine Cazes' Canon du Maréchal cuvée is a tribute to the Marshal whose vines were bought by the Cazes family in 1927.
The Rivesaltes camp and memorial
Passing on and remembering
As early as 1923, the Rivesaltes plain was identified by the military authorities as an area with all the right characteristics for training. During the inter-war period, there was a desire to build a military barracks here, to be known as "Camp Joffre". It would see the light of day at the dawn of the Second World War. The military function of the Rivesaltes camp was in part shaped by the different stages of this conflict.
- On November 12, 1938, a decree was issued establishing a policy of internment for all persons likely to represent a danger to France. It was against this sombre backdrop that the camp took in Spanish refugees fleeing the Spanish Civil War, as well as refugees from Nazi Germany and Central and Eastern Europe. The Rivesaltes accommodation center was officially created on January 14, 1941.
- In November 1942, German occupying troops emptied the camp. The Algerian war then marked the camp's history, with many recruits leaving for the war staying there before embarking at Port-Vendres. After the departure of the Harkis and until March 1966, the camp's barracks were used to house soldiers of Guinean origin serving with France. During the same period, the camp also housed North Vietnamese combatants from French Indochina. The camp then once again returned to its military vocation.
- Decades later, the memorial will be inaugurated in October 2015 to retrace and bear witness to the history that marked the destiny of 60,000 people.
