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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Taurin plan of Aubais, also called Plan des Théâtres, is an arena located in Place du Château, in the heart of the village of Aubais (Gard). Destined for Camargua races, a traditional taurine practice in Lower Languedoc, it can accommodate more than 500 spectators. Its inclusion in the Supplementary Inventory of Historic Monuments in 2003 is aimed less at its stands, which are expected to evolve, than the site itself: the land and the surrounding facades, which are considered bearers of an intangible heritage linked to local culture.

The inscription of this monument is part of an innovative approach initiated in 1992. At meetings of COREPHAE (Regional Commission for Heritage and Sites), seven Taurine sites, including Aubais, were selected for their ethnological value. The regional prefect then stressed the pioneering nature of this protection, targeting more the spirit of the places than their physical structure. This choice reflected a desire to preserve the memory of popular practices, such as bovin, rooted in the Camargue and Languedoc identity.

Built on a 17th-century square, the Arène d'Aubais is part of a landscape marked by taurine history. According to the ethnologist Frédéric Saumade, his protection illustrates the institutional recognition of a living heritage, where the building serves as a support for collective rituals. The surrounding facades (cadastre A 1035, 1161 to 1168, etc.) and the uncadastre floor form a coherent whole, symbol of the persistence of traditions in the face of modern changes.

The site, a mixed property (municipal and private), remains a gathering place for local races and events. Its inclusion in the Historical Monuments in 2003 thus enshrines an expanded heritage approach, where use takes precedence over materiality. This approach is based on work such as that of Jean-Baptiste Maudet, who analyse Taurine games as a cross-border cultural phenomenon, from Europe to America.

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