Watercourses
Known as the water tower of the valleys it overlooks, the Pilat massif, at the meeting of two river basins, the Loire and the Rhône, is brimming with water in all its forms. In addition to the role it plays in the diversity and ecological variety of the natural environments of the massif –peat bogs, lônes (former branches of the Rhône), ravines of the Rhône– the water of the Pilat has also played, thanks to its mechanical force, a major part in the textile-based economic, industrial and social development of the region.
Water as nature and water as energy
From the river Rhône to the approximately eighteen tributaries that flow from the heights, sometimes as waterfalls, there is no shortage of natural sites to discover: The Ile du Beurre, typical landscape of the wild Rhône; the Saut du Gier, a spectacular waterfall; etc.
Bordered on the west and northwest by numerous valleys (Ondaine, Furan, Gier, Dorlay, Couzon, etc.), manufacturers have found the Pilat to be the ideal location (use of hydraulic energy) for setting up their businesses (braids and lace, silk throwing, etc.) since the end of the 18th century. Highly popular, the region was rapidly confronted with new needs for water. Dams were built along the rivers to supply drinking water to the towns, which at the same time were experiencing considerable population increases, as well as to channel the fury of certain watercourses following violent floods and, ultimately, to satisfy the manufacturers when the flow of the rivers decreased.
Discover the richness of the water route
Since 2003, Pilat Regional Natural Park has conducted research to find out more about this resource and all of the resulting man-made heritage (mostly hydraulic) on the massif, mainly with a view to promoting it. The Water Route has the specific aim of highlighting this natural and cultural heritage that today makes up the richness of the massif. We offer you a complete list of natural sites, leisure activities, accommodation and restaurants along the river, carefully selected to ensure sustainable tourism and guarantee quality services while striving to respect the environment. The Park has worked in partnership with all the Parks of the Massif Central, which have also each suggested a thematic route that promotes the identity of their region: the chestnut in the Ardèche, the volcanoes in the Auvergne, pastoralism in the Grands Causses, etc.
