Those considering Auros as a travel destination can weigh nature and architectural history through specific, very different points of interest. The Réseau hydrographique du Beuve Natura 2000 site and the Sentier botanique de Monco botanical trail bring a focus on nature, while churches, historic houses, and a covered arcade tell the story of the village’s built heritage. You can choose the focus of your stay based on whether you are more interested in nature or architectural details.
Nature and Monco
Auros is part of the 715-hectare Réseau hydrographique du Beuve Natura 2000 site. A specific route to explore is the Sentier botanique de Monco botanical trail: it runs 500 metres from the village of Auros and covers 1.5 kilometres through a juniper forest. Those interested in plants and protected areas will find two distinct ways to explore nature during their trip. The trail can be considered an activity in its own right; its length and juniper forest give it a clearly defined character.
Churches and local history
The Church of Saint-Germain dates from the 11th and 12th centuries. Its round-arched west portal and twin-arched bell gable give the building two distinctive features that are easy to distinguish. The choir’s flat rear wall is decorated with a 17th-century fresco. It depicts an altarpiece with fluted columns, as well as the two saints Clair, Bishop of Lectoure, and Quitterie with the palm of martyrdom. The painting is damaged. At Saint-Germain, therefore, both the church’s architectural form and the imagery in the choir take centre stage.
The history of the village also includes Auros’s Romanesque Church of Notre-Dame, restored in the 19th century. The historic village also preserves older architectural features: a covered arcade dating from the 18th century, as well as houses from the 16th century. These details offer a different perspective from the religious buildings, drawing attention to the development of the village and to historic architecture in everyday life.
The baronial château of Auros retains a semicircular tower and some medieval walls. Auros’s parish church also houses a decorated and gilded choir stall from Sainte-Marie du Rivet Abbey. This specific connection links a furnishing to the history of the abbey without conflating the churches.
Sainte-Marie du Rivet
Sainte-Marie du Rivet Abbey is said to have been founded in the time of Charlemagne. The restored abbey church incorporates 13th-century walls and columns, as well as Merovingian capitals and corbels. Its architectural features thus span different historical periods. Together with the choir stall from the abbey, which is preserved in Auros’s parish church, this offers a specific point of interest for travellers interested in the architectural and decorative history of religious sites.
Plan visits around your travel dates
The AOA offers guided tours of the Monco site from mid-April to mid-June. If you plan to take a tour, check the current dates before travelling. Sainte-Marie du Rivet Abbey can be visited year-round by appointment; arrange your visit in advance. These different conditions are useful when planning: guided tours are available during a seasonal window, while visiting the abbey requires an appointment.
Discover more destinations: Arcachon, Sainte-Eulalie, Le Verdon-Sur-Mer, Bassens, Marions, Bazas, Tresses, Sainte-Gemme
See the broader travel guide: Gironde.
