Preserving our heritage
Aware of the exceptional, unique and singular character of the landscapes surrounding the Pont du Gard Site, the EPCC, management, and the French Government, as owner of the Pont du Gard, are thus guarantors for the protection of this heritage. They must preserve the authenticity of the site while keeping it living, accessible and inviting character.
The EPCC Pont du Gard has held the ‘Grand Site de France’ label since 2004. This label recognises that the site’s management complies with sustainable development principles. The ‘Grands sites de France’ work to improve protection, rehabilitation and active landscape management conditions, improve the way it receives visitors and generate sustainable local development that benefits the local populations.
The management of the Pont du Gard natural site is based on a multi-year natural areas protection plan. This plan is now the guiding principle of the EPCC, with two major objectives:
To protect the landscape (by maintaining the monument’s natural setting), ensure its physical protection (fire and flood risk management) as well as its ecological protection (Natura 2000 zone / ENS / UNESCO Biosphere Reserve)
To maintain the quality of site’s visitor reception
This work is the constant preoccupation of the EPCC, which adapts its management to suit the site's different landscapes. This type of sustainable management makes it possible to define plant management approaches by zoning of the site, in order to renew ageing species, to manage the boundary vegetation... thus making it possible to:
Maintain views and landscapes within the site.
Protect and enhance the remains of the aqueduct
Preserve and restore the traditional heritage
The preservation of the landscapes and reception buildings is strengthened by daily site maintenance tasks. This work contributes actively to how visitors discover the Pont du Gard. This is an essential action for what is both a ‘Grand Site de France’ and a ‘World Heritage Site’.
The Pont du Gard photographic landscape observatory (OPP) has been present since the site was redeveloped in 1998. 25 views are taken annually, during the third week of October, these are used to support landscape analysis or redesign. A data sheet is associated with each view to ensure that an identical methodology is used.
In order to better understand how the landscape changes, the current image series taken for the photographic observatory has been expanded to include new viewpoints to assist in updating the site's development plan. This photographic data is also intended to become a medium for mediation between local populations, site visitors and local businesses. The OPP is used to analyse landscape dynamics but can also be used to analyse social representations of the landscape.
Pont du Gard au levant (Stéphane Barbier)
The Etablissement public de coopération culturelle (EPCC) du Pont du Gard, which combines both the French government and local authorities, is responsible for managing the public cultural services of the Pont de Gard’s unique heritage and contributes to achieving national cultural policy objectives. Through its activities, the EPCC has developed an expertise in flow management, tourism, public knowledge, natural landscape management, heritage site promotion, cultural mediation programming and events for all publics.
The Pont du Gard’s labels
The Pont du Gard site has been awarded a number of distinctions, the most emblematic of which is that of UNESCO, as well as for the quality of its landscape and tourist facilities.
