Vallabrègues, on the left bank of the Rhone, is the most Provençal of the municipalities of the Gard. In the XII-th century, the village is already one " centre of basketwork ". In the XIII-th century, " banastiers " obtains the privilege to become established there " artisans' brotherhood ". Well before on 1467 (date of official organization of basket maker's profession in France) our tresseurs of wicker was established(constituted) in corporation.

In 1859, Frédéric Mistral admitted Vallabrègues to the world literature by creating: vincent " banastié " lover of " Mirèio ".
At the beginning of the XX-th century, the village built on alluvial lands considered more than 200 hectares as oseraie exploited(run) by more than 450 basket makers.

The vallabrégante Basketwork was appreciated in all France and abroad. The work of the wicker takes place, according to a logical progress, as an epic. Collection in " li baïsso " (Baïsses) of the Camargue and on the islands of the Rhone. Pruning (raw wicker, white wicker). Soaking, plaiting, sulphurization etc.... In the numerous vallabrégants studios(workshops).

the basketwork utilitarian (round baskets, banastes, suitcases squared baskets, packagings miscellaneous, demijohns, bow nets, nests with ducks, traps for the hunting) in the basketwork, liqueur brandy represented by real objects of art, and works in splints, the museum offers besides to the guests a complete collection of tools and material of " cutters of wicker " and of "basket makers"

A series of former(old) photos updated by a projection of thematic films gives an outline of what was the activity of the capital of the French basketwork.

The Museum was created on the initiative of the Friendly of the Old man Vallabrègues. The rooms of a big building were restored and inaugurated with the cooperation of the municipality on August 12, 1994.

Credit text and photos: advertising Plaque " Museum of the Basketwork and the Craft "