Track rehabilitation 1680–1740 (≈ 1710)
Creation of laces and current paving.
milieu XVIIIe siècle
Commercial decline
Commercial decline milieu XVIIIe siècle (≈ 1850)
Opening of the Col de la Chavade road.
23 novembre 2023
Historical Monument
Historical Monument 23 novembre 2023 (≈ 2023)
Protection of the pavement and walls.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The carriageway of the coast of Pal, the origin of which dates back to the development carried out between 1680 and 1740, as well as the walls which support it, following the route of vicinal road No. 3, from the place called la Croisette, to the pass of Pal, as carried to the cadastre according to the route carried on the plan attached to the decree: inscription by decree of 23 November 2023
Key figures
Louis XIV - King of France
Sponsor of initial work (1680–1740).
Origin and history
The Pal coast, or climb of the Pal, is an ardèche paved road starting at Montpezat-sous-Bauzon (alt. 570 m) to reach the Pal pass (alt. 1,223 m) after 12 km of laces. Its current route, on the right bank of the Pourseille, dates back to the work carried out between 1680 and 1740 under Louis XIV. Originally designed to transport trunks of fir trees to shipyards via the Ardèche, the project failed due to the impossibility of floating the wood upstream of Aubenas. The pavements and retaining walls, characteristic of the eighteenth century, bear witness to this ambitious but unsuccessful development.
Originally, the route served as a major commercial route between Languedoc and the Rhône Valley, frequented by mule caravans carrying wine, salt, meat and wood. A medieval toll in Montpezat financed its maintenance, reflecting its key economic role. In the middle of the 18th century, the opening of the Col de la Chavade road gradually diverted traffic, marginalizing the Pal coast. Its inscription as a Historic Monument in 2023 now protects its pavement and walls, symbols of an exceptional road and artisanal heritage.
The legend sometimes associates this passage with Julius Caesar during the Gauls' War, but no historical source confirms this story. Toponyms such as "Chemin de César" are late reinterpretations. In reality, the path owes its development to medieval market activity and to the redevelopments of the 17th–15th centuries, marked by the adaptation to carts (large laces, reduced slope). Today, it embodies both a technical (paved, support) and cultural heritage, linked to exchanges between the lower Rhône valley and Massif Central.
The village of Montpezat, located at a Roman crossroads (to Alba, Ruessium, Javols), owes its character to this story: arcade houses to house traders and travelers, and urban route shaped by flows transiting to Pal. La Croix du Pal, associated monument, and the remains of the walls of the Croisette complete this historic landscape, now valued for its tourist potential and its heritage legibility.
