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Some history
The origin of the name Pilat remains obscure. One legend tells that the name Pilat came from the body of Pontius Pilate who was buried in the massif after his death.
The first traces of human life
- The first traces of prehistoric human life are few and enigmatic.
The 200m wall on the Trois Dents dates back to the Celtic invasions and the remains of circular dry stone constructions at “Château Belize” were identified as evidence of ancient habitations!
The Gallo-Roman era
- The Gallo-Roman era left important remains of the habitation in Pilat, mainly in Saint-Romain-en-Gal, a district of the ancient city of Vienne, situated on the right bank of the Rhône.
The remains of public baths, rich merchants’ houses, storehouses and workshops today bear witness to the development of the town in the 1st century A.D.
Medieval times
In Medieval times Pilat was a sparsely populated area, where monastic establishments settled like the Priory of Saint-Sauveur-en-Rue and the Carthusians of Sainte-Croix-en-Jarez.
The end of the 18th century
At the end of the 18th century, the first silk-throwing workshops appeared, particularly in Pélussin, with the establishment of the Pierre Benaÿ workshop inside the Virieu Castle.
With the exception of the Rhône and Gier Valleys, the region remained relatively isolated due to the lack of means of communication. This lasted until the 19th century, which saw the construction of important routes like the great postal route between Paris and Marseille.
During the industrial revolution, the establishment of textile and metallurgical factories was possible through the utilisation of the motive power of the numerous waterways. The strong demand for wood in the coal mines also stimulated the logging industry.
19th century
Throughout the 19th century, the population increased and Pilat supplied a workforce for the booming factories of the neighbouring towns.