Ancient exploitation Antiquité (≈ 212)
Size front and archaeological remains
XVIIIe siècle
Reuse and appliance house
Reuse and appliance house XVIIIe siècle (≈ 1850)
Rupest habitation integrated with the site
7 mai 1998
Registration for Historic Monuments
Registration for Historic Monuments 7 mai 1998 (≈ 1998)
Protection of ancient and modern remains
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The traces of the ancient and modern exploitation of the quarry, namely: the 18th century size front comprising the rock dwelling called the apparatuser, the plots containing the archaeological remains of the ancient exploitation (C 238, 240 to 245, 1270, 1271): inscription by decree of 7 May 1998
Key figures
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Source text does not mention name
Origin and history
The Southern Estel quarry, located at Vers-Pont-du-Gard in the Gard, is a site whose exploitation dates back to ancient times. Archaeological remains attest to an ancient mining activity, with fronts still visible today. This site illustrates the stone extraction methods used during this period, although little specific details of its daily operation are kept.
In the 18th century, the quarry was reused, as evidenced by the presence of an appliance house integrated into the face. This rock house, typical of the extraction sites of the time, probably served as a dwelling and a place of work for workers in charge of cutting and preparing stone blocks. The site was partially protected by an order in 1998, recognizing its heritage importance.
Today, the Southern Estel quarry is a representative example of local economic activities over the centuries. In the Gard, stone mining played a key role in the construction of regional monuments, such as the famous Bridge du Gard neighbour. Quarries were intensive workplaces, often organized around specialized figures such as equipment, which supervised the size and assembly of stones.
The site is now shared between departmental and private property. Although the practical information on visits is limited, its inscription as a Historical Monument in 1998 has preserved key elements, such as the plots containing ancient remains and the 18th century house. These protections underline the importance of keeping these physical traces of ancient techniques and local industrial history.
