pine, which do not need looking after. However, hundreds of chestnut trees still remain, most of them untended and some of magnificent size; they are a symbol of the Cevennes and of a tree that can nourish a whole population.
The Silk Industry
The other tree that is a symbol of the Cevennes is the mulberry. Again it was planted for a specific reason – to feed the silk worms whose cocoons furnished the silk thread to make clothes and stockings, the main economic resource of the region. Sericulture, or the art of making silk, started at the end of the 13th century but was at its height in the 17th.
Mulberry trees were planted at altitudes of up to 600m beside the roads and fields in convenient places where the leaves could be easily picked. Two tons of leaves were required to nourish 33g of eggs when they hatched into worms. Before special incubators were constructed in the 18th century, the eggs were kept warm in special sacks hung under the blouses and skirts of the women!
Once the worms had hatched they were kept and fed in the huge high buildings called magnanerie which are still seen in the Cevennes today, many of them in ruins. These buildings were constructed so that the rooms were kept at an even temperature with constant ventilation – hence the rows of small windows and many chimneys. After one month, when the worms had ceased eating and started to weave their cocoons – which took around three days and yielded 1500m of silk thread, it was imperative that the cocoons remained dry and did not rot. The thread was then spun off the cocoons, mainly by the nimble hands of women and young girls, to be made into bolts of silk, garments and stockings in the local factories.
In the middle of the 19th century the silk worms were struck by a disease called pébrine, and a remedy was not discovered until 20 years later in 1870. By this time cheap silk imports from China and India were entering the country, and the industry never recovered – the last silk-producing enterprise closed in 1965.
Decline of the Region
When the chestnut and silk industries failed, many of the Cevenese could no longer survive and the exodus began. Rather than emigrating to Australia, the United States or Canada, the people tended to move to the coalmining area around Alès, in the southeast, at the start of the Industrial Revolution. Between 1846 and 1896 the population of this area tripled, but the age of prosperity was short-lived, and one by one the mines closed. Many of the population then moved to other areas such as Marseilles and Montpellier.
Traditional beehives made of chestnut logs at Moulin des Geminards (Walk 29)
The First World War is the main reason why the Cevennes became one of the least populated areas of France. Because there was no work for the young men they signed up in droves and died likewise. During these years the population declined drastically, as in some villages all the young men were killed, leaving women and children to survive as best they could. Many of the villages were abandoned and remain in ruins to the present day. The Second World War had a less catastrophic effect, and the decline in population was only 10 per cent. In fact, during this period the area became a place of refuge, harbouring many exiles including Jews, who were fleeing persecution; the wild isolated areas of the Cevennes made a good hiding place. The Resistance (Le Maquis) played a role in dispersing and hiding the exiles in isolated villages and farms, the farmers being glad to have extra help with no questions asked!
Present-day Cevennes
Although the towns around the Cevennes, such as Alès, Mende and Montpellier, offer employment, economic opportunities for the isolated villages in the high upland regions now lie in tourism and in the sale of houses for conversion into secondary residences. Tourism is expanding as more and more people are looking for areas which are unspoilt and offer space and quiet. Some villages which, a decade ago, were silent and falling into ruins have now been renovated and brought back to life. The Cevenese who left their land in order to survive are now coming back, even if it is only to renovate the family farm and live there a few weeks a year. Painters, writers and other artisans are moving into the area, lured by relatively cheap property.
Perhaps the very fact that the Cevennes does not have an obvious agricultural or industrial future means it has a different role to play – as a refuge for those seeking a respite from the increased hussle and bustle of life in the big cities. In a world where roads and buildings are spreading everywhere, and the once green fields are covered in urban sprawl, we need the Cevennes to remain as it is – wild, empty, mysterious and forgotten!
Using the Guide
At the start of each walk details are given of the walk difficulty, time, height gain, maps, depart point and signposting.
Walk Difficulty
Most of the walks in this book are within the capacity of a reasonably fit person and are graded‘strenuous’(rather than difficult), ‘moderate’or‘easy’. The Cevennes region does not have high mountain peaks, so there are few sudden steep height gains and vertiginous places. Further details after the grading should give a good indication as to whether the walk is suitable for your abilities.
Time
The timings correspond to the average walking pace of a reasonably fit person, but this is only a rough guide, as everyone has a different rhythm. It is also important to leave plenty of time for stopping to look at the views, taking photos and for a picnic. Generally, you can expect to walk 3km in one hour if there are no excessive gradients. Four centimetres on a 1:25,000 map equals 1km (for quick measurement put three fingers sideways on the map – this equals roughly 4cm, which is 20mins walking). Appendix B gives a table of walk times.
Height Gain
When reading the walk details look carefully at the altitude gain. Extra altitude equals extra walking time, and steep gradients, whether up or down, can tire you if you are not used to it. Only a few walks in this book have a significant altitude gain; as a guideline, with a light rucksack (6–7kg) you should be able to climb 400m in one hour (250–300m with a weight of 15kg). The descent should be quicker, namely 500m in one hour. When walking, especially in southern climates, the heat and humidity will slow you down (see‘When to Go’).
Maps
Although each walk is accompanied by a sketch map it is recommended that you buy the listed 1:25,000 IGN maps, which are available in local shops. It is easier to buy them when you are in the region than to try to get hold of them in the UK. They cost around 9 euros (exchange rate is about 1.6 euros to £1 at the time of publication). Sometimes the local supermarkets sell them cheaper.
The numbers on each sketch map show key reference points, especially where there are major changes in walk direction, and correspond to a numbered section in the text. However, please read the instructions carefully, as there may be additional turnings that are not numbered but where the path is not clearly indicated, even on the IGN map. Unfortunately many IGN maps are out of date or inaccurate, and the jeep tracks and paths taken on the walks are not always shown.
Departure Point
In the text directions to the start of each walk (‘How to Get There’) are given from a specific town (Le Vigan or Florac). Where possible the walks start from points where there is a car park or good roadside parking.
Signposting
This gives an indication as to how well the walk is signposted and whether you are following a Grand Randonnée (long-distance footpath), a local path with its own different coloured splashes or wooden signposts.
If you see white and red horizontal paint splashes
