A 11.1-kilometre circular trail and the Eglise Saint Genest church offer two different perspectives on Saint-Genest-De-Beauzon: a route through the countryside and a building with a distinctive floor plan and specific features. Added to these are the history of a former spinning mill, a term from local craftsmanship, and a landscape shaped by hamlets, forests and farmland.

Hiking the Sentier de l’olivier

“Le sentier de l'olivier” is a PR circular hiking route covering 11.1 kilometres. It takes about four hours; the walk starts and ends at Saint-Genest-De-Beauzon town hall. The distance, approximate walking time and circular route provide a clear framework for planning the day. The route passes olive trees, vineyards and hamlets. In the hamlet of Suel, it follows the road alongside an unfinished church. The description thus takes in both an agricultural landscape and a specific building along the way.

Saint-Genest-De-Beauzon can be reached from Joyeuse or Les Vans via the D104a. These are the two named starting points for the road connection. If you are looking for accommodation, you can match your choice of location to your travel arrangements and your interests in hiking or culture.

Church and historical traces

The Eglise Saint Genest is built of stone and finished with lime plaster. Its cruciform floor plan has a circular apse. Its features include stained-glass windows and Stations of the Cross; the windows bear the signature “Charlemagne” in Toulouse. The architecture and features offer different points of interest: the building’s shape, its religious furnishings and the signature on the windows. The parish’s history also goes back a long way. It is considered one of the oldest in Ardèche and is said to have been founded around the year 549.

Another historical trace is the Filature, a former spinning mill built by Jean-François SAUTEL in the 19th century. It can only be viewed from the outside. Here, the focus is on the building’s former use; interior visits are not possible. Local heritage also includes a “Pléjador”, pronounced “plédjadou”: a tool carved from stone for making barrel hoops from hackberry wood. The name encompasses a specific craft purpose and the materials used for it.

Hamlets, valleys and the history of Cros

Saint-Genest-De-Beauzon is shaped by a succession of hamlets among forests and farmland. Forests and meadows define the landscape in the valleys, complemented by vineyards, olive trees and a little livestock farming. These elements do not form a single, uniform landscape: forests and meadows lie alongside farmland and the crops described as typical of the region. Olive trees, vineyards and hamlets also feature along the hiking trail, making a concrete link between the route description and the rural character of the area.

Cros is also part of the area’s history. Historically, this hamlet was the site of important livestock markets, known far beyond the local area. At the time, the commune was called “Beaucaire des Cévennes”. This historical reference adds the former importance of the livestock markets to the architectural and landscape themes.

Discover more destinations: Colombier-Le-Vieux, Saint Basile, Sainte-Eulalie, Le Béage, Banne, Tauriers, Antraigues-Sur-Volane, Saint-Martial

For the regional travel overview: Ardèche.