Aulas lies on the Coudoulous and can be explored on foot in different ways. As you walk through its streets and passageways, the town’s history comes to life; mills and spinning mills once stood along the riverbanks. The Tour d’Aulas adds a named circular walking route. This gives you a choice between a historic walk through the town and a tour with a clearly defined format when planning your visit.
A cloth-making town on the Coudoulous
At the time of the Grande Encyclopédie, Aulas was a cloth-making town. The mills and spinning mills of Aulas stood on the banks of the Coudoulous. The term “cloth-making town” sums up its textile heritage, while the riverside buildings give this history a physical setting. Its historical identity is thus connected with specific sites of former production.
A restored former spinning mill houses an oil mill. The building brings together its former textile use and its current use as an oil mill. Please check locally in advance to find out whether a visit is possible.
Church, fortifications, and local history
Aulas was built around the Church of St Martin and was fortified in the 14th century. The Poterne in the Mas Rouger district survives as a gateway from the former fortifications. You can therefore encounter two distinct historical features: the church as a focal point of the town’s layout, and the Poterne as a tangible reminder of its fortifications.
These features also belong to different periods: the fortifications date from the 14th century, while Aulas was a cloth-making town at the time of the Grande Encyclopédie. The town’s defensive architecture and textile history thus stand side by side as distinct facets of its past.
As you walk through the streets and passageways, the town’s history comes to life. The walk takes in more than just the Poterne, which remains a tangible link to the former fortifications. This means the town’s history cannot be reduced to a single surviving gateway.
Planning the Tour d’Aulas
The Tour d’Aulas is a 6.4-kilometre circular route and takes about two hours. The distance and duration answer different planning questions: the distance indicates the route’s length, while the approximate time helps you set aside a dedicated slot for it in your day. Treat the duration as a guideline for this tour.
The circular walk is marked in yellow or with GR7 waymarks. Trail markings can change or require maintenance. Before setting out, check the trail conditions and markings locally.
The two ways to explore Aulas on foot offer different experiences: a walk through the town focuses on its history, streets, and passageways; for the Tour d’Aulas, the circular format, route length, and approximate duration are specified. If you are looking for an activity with a defined time frame, you can use these details to plan your day. If you would rather discover the town through its history, make the walk your main focus.
Discover more destinations: Saint-Julien-De-Peyrolas, Mandagout, Sauve, Laudun-L'ardoise, Rochefort-Du-Gard, Peyremale, Soustelle, Crespian
For the broader travel overview: Gard.
