Le Sentier Botanique

As in the rest of the Cévennes, sericulture developed in Monoblet in the early 18th century. It declined from the mid-19th century onwards, leaving behind a legacy of buildings and landscapes.
The route comprises 20 stations forming a loop around Monoblet. Enter the village from Saint-Hippolyte-du-Fort and Durfort. Pass in front of the town hall and continue along the main street for 200 m to the parking lot opposite the octagonal temple.

A LAND OF CONTRASTS
The commune of Monoblet covers 2,133 hectares, 1,400 of which are woodland and coppice, and offers a contrasting landscape between wooded reliefs of oak and chestnut, and valleys where agricultural activity continues to enliven the landscape. This relief is explained by the geological formation that divides the commune into two
distinct areas. To the north-west, the southern end of the granitic Cévennes, home to chestnut trees, and to the south, the limestone garrigues and marls
which form a zone of ecological, faunistic and floristic interest (ZNIEFF), named "Lapiaz de Curens", bordering Saint-Hippolyte-du-Fort.

THE IMPACT OF SERICULTURE ON MONOBLET'S LANDSCAPE
The silk and sericulture industries were among the population's primary resources, especially in the mid-19th century, which explains the presence of numerous silkworm nurseries and mulberry trees, whose leaves were the only food for silkworms. In the 1970s, sericulture was revived in this village.
village.

TRADE AGREEMENTS
On February 10, 1713, manufacturers from the main towns in the Cévennes - Saint-Hippolyte-du-Fort, Anduze, Ganges, Lasalle, Sauve, Le Vigan, Monoblet and others - signed an agreement which, with the blessing of the authorities, linked them to Nîmes merchants and manufacturers.
In this way, the towns in the hinterland safeguarded their production sector and ensured their domination over the rural manufacturers in their respective areas of influence, but in return, they gave up their desire to follow independent paths and willingly agreed to join the Nîmes factory. From then on, their makers could continue to work in their place of residence, on condition that they were accepted as masters in the Nîmes community, submitted to its regulations and contributed to its expenses.

INTERPRETATION STATIONS
1 - Mulberry tree
2 - Judas tree
3 - Chestnut tree
4 - Vine
5 - Badasse
6 - White oak
7 - Aphyllanthe
8 - Bituminous psoralea
9 - Olive
10 - Pewter Laurel
11 - Common thyme
12 - Holm oak
13 - Arbutus
14 - Mahaleb cherry
15 - Wild asparagus
16 - Corm tree
17 - Kokuzo mulberry
18 - Monoblet school and its green roof
19 - Place des Magnans
20 - The Gréfeuilhe workshop