Caves &
Caverns, Gorges and Rivers
The
The
Valley of the Lot cuts east to west across the ‘granary of the Lozère’,
a landscape of historical castles, fortresses and churches.
The
Grotte de Dargilan is one of the most famous pink stalactite caves in
Aven
Armand is a
unique site of over 400 stalagmites 50 metres underground, fantastic sculptures
hewed by rainwater from the limestone.
Amazing Animals
The
Belvedere of Vultures in the Jonte Gorges gives a direct view over some
hundred wild vultures; the ‘Maison de Vautours’ traces the history of their
reintroduction.
High
on the Mejean Causses live a herd of Przewalski horses from the steppes
of
The
Snail Farm at Le Moulinet tells you all you ever wanted to know about
the world of the snail.
Buffalo
of La Margaride live on a nature reserve that may be visited by horse-drawn
carriage, or sleigh in winter. The
buffalo disappeared from
The
Gévaudan wolves live in an animal park created for them by ‘the Wolf
Man’ Menatory. A
superb natural environment housing wolves from
Dinosaurs have left their mark too – at the
listed site of St.Laurent de Trèves where there are twenty footprints dating
back 190 million years.
A Religious
History
The
The
Route to Saint Jacques de Compostella ran through the Lozère in the area
known as the Gévaudan, also renowned previously as on the road of the Knights
Templar and the way to the Crusades. The
The
curiosity of the tombs of St.Germain du Teil – fifty tombs carved into
the rockface whose date and origin are unknown.
Cham-des-Bondons takes us back to the prehistoric
period. The site holds 150 menhirs, four
dolmens and thirty burial mounds. This
is the second most important site in
The Most
Beautiful Villages of
Sainte-Enimie – a medieval masterpiece in the middle of
the Gorges de Tarn (see Legends of Lozère).
Nearby is the 4-star hotel of Chateau de la Caze dating from the
fifteenth century
La
Garde Guérin – an
ancient fortified village overlooking the Chaussezac Gorges
Marjevols – royal fortified town of the
Gévaudan renowned for its gates and the ‘Versailles of Gévaudan’ just to the
north – the Chateau of La Baume
Mende – capital of the department and
typical town of the
La
Canourge – known
as the
Langogne – the marvelous eighteenth
century architecture of the market hall and its position next to the mountain
Chateauneuf-de-Randon – perched on a granite hill, 1260
metres high, it is renowned for its traditionally paved square and ‘
One
must also mention Le Malzieu, pearl of the Truyère and Nasbinals,
capital of the Aubrac, a sturdy granite and basalt town dating back to the
twelfth century– two of ten ‘Stations Vertes de Vacances’.
Tradition and
‘Terroir’
Tradionally
the people of the Lozère have worked with stone, wood and straw crafting
everyday tools. Alongside there has also
been a history of sculpting from these materials, something that is still in
evidence today, from the mirrors of the workshop of Jean-Luc Goareguer in the
Margaride to the ironwork chairs and mantelpieces of Jean-Charles Chambron in
Aumont-Aubrac, from the figurines of Mireille Charier to the wool-spinning of
Langogne.
There
is also a wealth of quality gastronomic products for which the Lozère is
known – mushrooms, trout, meat. Local specialties include ‘le manouls’, ‘la
pouteille’ and ‘fromage de brebis’.
‘Aligot’, a mixture of potatoes, bacon, cream
and Aubrac tome cheese which looks like spaghetti when it is ready to be eaten.
‘Fouace’ is a kind of brioche flavoured with orange flower water. The
Action and
Adventure
Canoeing in the Gorges of the
Hiking
and rambling –
200 kilometres routes through gorgeous countryside including the unforgettable
Robert Louis Stevenson Trail, which he traveled by donkey, and the Route of
Saint Jacques de Compostella.
Horseriding – whether through the testing
cross-country course in Florac or the Drailles de Lozère, there is something
for all, whether very experienced or just beginners. Otherwise try the Robert Louis Stevenson
method and go by donkey.
And
there’s more…rafting, swimming, kayaking, mountain biking, paragliding,
hang-gliding, fishing, potholing, climbing, relaxing in a spa…
Legends of the
Lozère
Most
famous is the Beast of Gévaudan made its appearance in 1764 and
slaughtered mainkly women and children.
In three years nearly a hundred people fell
victim to this creature whose ferocity gave rise to many beliefs about its
provenance. Killed in 1767 – was it
really just a wolf?
Sainte
Enimie a
legendary saint whom, as sister to King Dagobert, was renowned for her
exceptional beauty although she dismissed all who wooed her as she wanted to
devote her life to God. She awoke one
day suffering from leprosy. An angel in a vision told her to go to the Gévaudan
and find the Burle spring, where she bathed and was cured. Sainte Enimie ordered the building of a
monastery there and the surrounding village was named after her. The waters of the spring are still believed
to be a cure for skin disease.