CS Knowledge Base

Bagnols-sur-Cèze (French pronunciation: [baɲɔl syʁ sɛz]; lit. 'Bagnols-on-Cèze'; Occitan: Banhòus de Céser) is a commune in the Gard department in the Occitania region in Southern France.

A small regional centre, Bagnols-sur-Cèze was quite certainly a Roman town (the name of the town comes from the Latin balnearius meaning "related to baths, bathing-place") before the main part was built in the 13th century around a central arcaded square that is still preserved today. At the same period, the regional market was installed here, undoubtedly contributing to its expansion.

Bagnols-sur-Ceze expanded steadily after the Marcoule nuclear centre was established in 1956.

Historical population
Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1793 4,800 —     1800 4,888 +0.26% 1806 4,994 +0.36% 1821 4,921 −0.10% 1831 4,902 −0.04% 1836 4,847 −0.23% 1841 4,090 −3.34% 1846 4,827 +3.37% 1851 4,780 −0.20% 1856 4,870 +0.37% 1861 5,050 +0.73% 1866 5,184 +0.53% 1872 4,876 −1.02% 1876 4,930 +0.28% 1881 4,666 −1.09% 1886 4,458 −0.91% 1891 4,454 −0.02% 1896 4,500 +0.21% 1901 4,461 −0.17%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1906 4,582 +0.54% 1911 4,445 −0.61% 1921 3,918 −1.25% 1926 4,450 +2.58% 1931 4,481 +0.14% 1936 4,669 +0.83% 1946 5,211 +1.10% 1954 5,546 +0.78% 1962 12,905 +11.13% 1968 16,468 +4.15% 1975 17,534 +0.90% 1982 17,602 +0.06% 1990 17,872 +0.19% 1999 18,103 +0.14% 2007 18,512 +0.28% 2012 18,375 −0.15% 2017 18,258 −0.13% 2023 18,112 −0.13%
Source: EHESS[3] and INSEE (1968–2023)[4]

The old center of Bagnols-sur-Cèze retains its historic feel, with small streets and largely preserved architecture. Several façades are remarkable. The towns contains a notable museum of contemporary art, the Musée Albert-André, founded in 1868 as well as an archaeological museum with a collection of artifacts found mainly in nearby Roman sites.

The shoegaze music band named Alcest is from this city.

There are several murals featuring optical illusions.^[5]

Bagnols-sur-Cèze is twinned with:^[6]

• Braunfels, Germany, since 1959
• Feltre, Italy, since 1961
• Newbury, England, since 1971
• Eeklo, Belgium, since 1976
• Carcaixent, Spain, since 1982
• Kiskunfélegyháza, Hungary

• Gersonides (born 1288), Jewish philosopher, Talmudist, mathematician, physician and astronomer/astrologer
• Albéric Pont (1870-1960), dentist and pioneer in maxillofacial surgery
• Lionel Pérez (born 1967), goalkeeper
• Neige (born 1985), blackgaze musician
• Sandie Toletti (born 1995), footballer for Real Madrid and the France national team^[7]

Albert André, art collector of late 19th century art, who bequeathed his magnificent collection to the town of Bagnols-sur-Cèze, where it resides in the Mairie, as the Musée Albert André

• Communes of the Gard department
• List of works by Auguste Carli

• Official website (in French)
• Bagnols sur Cèze tourist office website
• Overview of Bagnols sur Cèze