A straightforward circular walk with a set distance and approximate duration, the church’s history, and Vinobre as a local pilgrimage site give Saint-Sernin several distinct points of interest. From the summit, you can see 20 church towers. A recurring Palm Sunday tradition and a former procession add to the local history. This makes it possible to plan around either a walk through the landscape or cultural and historical themes.
Circular walk across the alluvial plain and karst plateau
Route “23 – Le Serre de Vinobre – St-Sernin” is an easy PR circular walk covering 6.6 km and taking approximately 2 hours and 5 minutes. It starts at the former SNCF railway station and follows the Via Ardèche, which has been developed as a greenway, along the Ardèche alluvial plain. The return route crosses the Gras karst plateau. There, piles of stones called clapas bear witness to former cultivated and grazing land.
The different sections give the circular route distinct landscape features: along the alluvial plain, it follows the Via Ardèche, while the return route crosses the karst plateau. The clapas there point to the land’s former use for cultivation and grazing. The approximate duration is a useful guide for planning your time. Check local conditions before setting out.
Vinobre: cross, views and Palm Sunday
Haut Serre de Vinobre is a local pilgrimage site. A large white cross has stood there for almost 60 years; from there, you can see 20 church towers. At the summit, an orientation table at the foot of the cross helps visitors identify the surrounding landscape. The cross and the table serve different purposes: the cross is part of the pilgrimage site, while the table helps with orientation in the landscape.
On Palm Sunday, Christians from the Aubenas basin climb to the Vinobre cross via the Stations of the Cross on the north side. This makes the site part of a recurring religious observance in the annual calendar. Those interested in religious traditions will find here a different point in time from the historical customs, which are not described as present-day events.
Church and local history
The church in Saint-Sernin has foundations dating from Gallo-Roman times. The present-day church dates from 1824 to 1832. These two dates refer to different historical periods: the foundations on the one hand, and the construction of the present-day church on the other. Its building history therefore cannot be reduced to a single date.
The name Saint-Sernin first appears in written records in 950, in an inventory commissioned by Thomas II, Bishop of Viviers. This date refers to the first written mention of the place name, not to the construction of the present-day church. The place name and the church building thus raise two different historical questions: when Saint-Sernin was first mentioned in writing, and when the present-day church was built.
In the past, parishioners from Saint-Sernin went in procession to the Croix de l’Espinasse to pray for rain for their crops. This procession belongs to the past and is distinct from the recurring Palm Sunday tradition at Vinobre. The destinations were different, too: here, the focus was on praying for rain; there, it was the ascent to the Vinobre cross.
Plan your bus journey
Bus route E15 serves the “Saint-Sernin - Village” stop. If you plan to use this route for your journey, check the timetable before travelling. This will help you take the bus connection into account when making your plans.
Discover more destinations: Saint Thome, Cros-De-Géorand, Saint-Privat, Dompnac, Boucieu-le-Roi, Malbosc, Savas, Saint-Vincent-De-Barrès
For the broader travel overview: Ardèche.
