Holidays in Lozere

Aubrac

Margeride

Situated in the north-east of the département,
nestled beside Aubrac in the west, la Margeride
is a granite region whose contours were sculpted during the Palaeozoic era. Formerly owned by the Count of Gévaudan, this land bears a rich and eventful history.

Dense forests punctuate vast landscapes of moors, meadows and pastures found between 1000 and 1500 metres altitude.
As if by magic, imposing blocks of weathered granite, deposited here and there, have built a mysterious, chaotic landscape made of heaps of rocks, strange piles of enormous size, oval or round, scattered on the moors on in the woods. This granite which provides the robust, rugged architecture of the farms and houses rooted on the high plateaux, adds an extra appeal to the region.

La Margeride is a secret land, a land of silence
and whispers. It is lit by the paths, the small roads which criss-cross it, but above all by the many streams or rivers such as the Truyère popular with anglers, and in the course of the seasons is covered with heather or narcissi…
It offers surroundings of infinite wealth, preserved and welcoming, inviting for relaxation as well as for numerous outdoor pursuits. From Marvejols to Langogne, from Malzieu to Chateauneuf-de-Randon, the land of Lozère offers you the serenity of authentically preserved countryside.

Gorges du Tarn, de la jonte, Grands causses and Valle du Lot

The source of the Tarn is at an altitude of 1600m
on Mont Lozère. Teeming with numerous torrents along its length, over the course of millennia the river has been hollowing out a deep groove between the Méjean and Sauveterre plateaux since the Quaternary Period, sculpting a veritable canyon in the limestone massif of the Grands Causses.

From Ispagnac to Le Rozier, the Tarn Gorges alternate crystal-clear, still water (planiols), and bubbling rapids (rajols).
The profile of the rocks, the steep cliffs and the re-emergence underground contribute to the extraordinary beauty of this deep passage whose sheer sides reach a height of 500m. Through market towns, villages and hamlets, 53 kilometres of well-defined meanders reveal a succession of narrow gorges, cirques and rocky chaos.

The Gorges of the Jonte, a tributary of the Tarn originating on Mont Aigoual and running from Le Rozier to Meyrueis, provide 20 kilometres of equally beautiful scenery. On the peaks on both sides of the Tarn: the Grands Causses.

At an altitude of 1000m, the Méjean Causse opens onto a vast steppe of yellow grass, as bewitching as a desert. Its landscapes, dotted with typical stone-roofed hamlets and shepherds huts, undulate as far as the eye can see. The Sauveterre Causse is a less arid limestone plateau with quite hilly terrain in the south west

Cévennes and Mont Lozère

Both beautiful and uncontrolled, between Aigoual and Mont Lozère, to the south east of the department, the countryside of the Cevennes presents a strong contrast between the harshness of mountain life and the mildness of the Mediterranean climate.

This land of bitter history and rugged character
was the site of the war at the beginning of the XVIIIth century between the Camisards and the Huguenot fiefdom.
It’s the land of shale and ravines, rocky outcrops, steep slopes at the bottom of which meander a number of streams and torrents. This is also the land of scrub and beech forests, fir plantations, groves of oaks and above all of chestnut trees.

Despite its ruggedness the area still provides a beautiful and hidden natural setting where countless hamlets of squat houses have breathed life into these impenetrable mountains. On the barren slopes, the system of terraces allowed the cultivation of “the golden tree”, the famous mulberry bush which with the arrival of silk, contributed to the wealth of the region, but especially the “bread tree” or chestnut, the symbol of the Cevennes and food for generations of people of the Cevennes.

From Florac to Saint-Germain-de-Calberte, a landscape of winding roads, the Cevennes are packed with picturesque tours with limitless views and superb sites. To the west, the majestic granite barrier of Mont Lozère contrasts its “bald” summits with gentle contours. Nicknamed « the mountain of springs », it reaches an altitude of 1700m. Rambling trails provided there ensure magnificent walks.
In winter the snow envelops Mont Lozère enabling cross-country skiing at Bleymard-Mont-Lozère or Mas de la Barque.