Cruas

The commune with the chance, to be able to present three medieval units resulting from this glorious last:

On the heights, the vestiges of the castle of the monks (XII - XIV century).

With hillside, the medieval village having of many Gothic houses.

The old abbey church (XI - XII century), located out of the fortifications in full heart of the “modern” village.

Between inheritance, events cultural and sporting, exposures to the Auclair museum and activities nautical with the marina, Cruas proposes to you a pleasant stay for one weekend, one week or more…

True halt of rest and expatriation, the marina of Cruas is an haven of peace for the yachtmen but also for the tourists and Cruassiens which return…

The bridge between the spawning ground and the port, makes this place a place of walk; a footpath skirts artificial lake.

It is located on Right Bank of the Rhone, separated from waters running of that Ci by a dam.

It lays out a harbour office of the artificial lake on which 3 are established let us bridge offering 41 stations of mooring, a slope of setting to the water, a carpark allowing the access to the slope of setting to the water.

The center of the art and the history André Auclair is the municipal museum of the town of Cruas. It was inaugurated in 1987 by the mayor of the time Mr. CHAZE in order to perpetuate the memory of the painter engraver and ceramist, Andre Auclair, who lived in Ardeche during most of his life.

The museum has most of its works as varied as many. It also presents ceramics of Fernand LACAF who made discover this art with André Auclair.

A stage is reserved for the temporary exhibitions of the local artists who follow one another, on average, once a month. A room recalls the history of the lime manufacture, the first industry of the commune with 18th and 19th centuries.

Part of the museum is dedicated to the sports.

In the park, in front of the museum, is a sculpture created by Pierre Astier with the occasion of the passage to the 3rd millenium. It is out of stone of Cruas and was carved in front of the abbey under the eyes of the inhabitants.

Cement, hydraulic binder, are known since highest antiquity; the Egyptians used as of 2600 years before J.C.

Rediscovery at the beginning of the XIX century thanks to work of Louis Vicat, it will be with the origin of an industrial great adventure with Cruas.

Since 1850 the exploitation of the limestone quarries, particularly pure, from Cruas will allow the development of the white cement.