In Cros, on the Haut-Vidourle, river scenery, karst and traces of the silk industry come together. This small Cévennes commune is connected to the national park. Below the village, the Vidourle disappears underground. Cros’s history also includes a Romanesque church and memories of silkworm rearing and processing.
Hiking trails between water, valley and ridge
Cros is situated in the Haut Vidourle valley. The Boucle de l’eau route passes through the river landscape and explores the underground water in the karst caves and galleries. Those interested in this distinctive waterscape will find a different focus here than on the L’Ubac et la roche des filles route: it follows the shaded side of the Haut-Vidourle valley over the 931-metre-high mountain La Fage. From the Roche des filles viewpoint, the panorama stretches to the Jumelles de Saint Chamant and as far as the hamlet of La Rouvière.
Three municipal hiking trails are currently available in Cros; the municipal team maintains and marks them. The De la mairie à l’église de Cros route explores the religious history of the Cévennes. For a short walk, the Cros Silk Trail is a very easy circular route: it is 2.1 kilometres long, has a stated walking time of 1 hour 30 minutes and is marked in yellow. Check the trail information again before setting out. Swimming is also considered a suitable activity in Cros.
Church and religious history
The Church of Saint Vincent is Romanesque and dates from the 12th century. Services are now held there only occasionally. The De la mairie à l’église de Cros route explores the eventful religious history of the Cévennes: since the Reformation in the 16th century, the region has been shaped by the divide between Protestants and Catholics. The local history thus links a specific building with a subject that extends beyond the church into the history of the Cévennes.
Traces of the silk industry
The Silk Trail leads to details of the former silk industry. The Moulin des Arnaudes mill preserves millstones engraved with the year 1716. The first floor housed a large magnanerie—a room for rearing silkworms. It remained in use until the 20th century. The Perrier silk mill was built in 1847 and closed in the 1920s.
A small house, known as an Oustalet, served as accommodation along the Silk Trail for female workers, most of whom came from Italy. They helped rear silkworms, gather mulberry leaves and reel the cocoons. These tasks bring the various stages of silk production to life, from caring for the silkworms to processing the cocoons.
The terraces of Mas Bourguet also show how the landscape was shaped. They are built of dry stone without mortar. Stairs are incorporated into the retaining walls, allowing people to move from one terrace to the next. Alongside the mills and silk work, these structures are another part of the local landscape history.
Discover more destinations: Boissières, Aramon, Saint-Hyppolyte-Du-Fort, Saint-Jean-De-Crieulon, Saint-Laurent-le-Minier, Saint-Bauzély, Vestric-Et-Candiac, Junas.
To the main travel overview: Gard.
