The Causse du Larzac
The Causse du Larzac – Knights Templar, villages and amazing geology
The Larzac is a limestone plateau with underground galleries, avens (chasms), caves, lakes and rivers covering 1,000km² of south Aveyron. It is renowned for its stunning lunar landscapes with natural rock formations resembling ruins, its ancient pastoral civilisation which shaped the vast open spaces and its remarkable biodiversity which includes the Cardabelle (now a protected plant species) and majestic birds of prey like kites, vultures, snake eagles and falcons, including rare and threatened species.
The Larzac has an illustrious history too, marked by the mysterious Knights Templar and Hospitaller between the 12th and 18th centuries and more recently as the theatre of action by militant farmers and the alter-globalisation movement. The plateau is part of the Parc Naturel Régional des Grands Causses which is responsible for the protection and promotion of inhabited rural areas and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011. In fact, the Causse du Larzac is brimful of natural, cultural and architectural treasures waiting to be explored !
The Causse du Larzac is a great place for history enthusiasts with many architectural gems inherited from the Knights Templar and Hospitaller including the Remparts de la Cavalerie, heritage of a troubled past, the fortified village of La Couvertoirade, Commanderie de Sainte-Eulalie de Cernon, the Tower at Viala-du-Pas-de-Jaux, known as the ‘Lighthouse of Larzac’ and Fort de Saint-Jean d'Alcas, a stronghold run by women !
All of the picturesque villages of Larzac are definitely worth visiting ! Nant with its covered marketplace, numerous Romanesque churches, Chapelle des Pénitents and Pont de la Prade bridge in the middle of a leafy valley ; Saint Martin du Larzac, its dolmens, chapel and troglodyte refuge (Les Baumes) and many other places. The area is also rich in museums, an alternative way to understand the culture of Larzac, including the Musée des Traditions du Sud-Aveyron at Sauclières devoted to village life in days gone by and the Centre Archéologique et Géologique du Larzac which takes visitors back to Gallo-Roman times.
Larzac, its pastoral tradition and Roquefort cheese caves
Larzac also has numerous natural attractions which can be discovered on foot, on horseback or by mountain bike along designated paths and tracks including the famous GR71 C and D hiking paths known as the « Tour du Larzac ». Soak up the atmosphere of this land of exceptional vegetation, where the thousand-year-old relationship between man and his environment remains extremely strong. Don’t hesitate to tour the countryside along small roads bordered by ‘lavognes ‘(natural pools transformed into water troughs), ‘jasses’ (sheepfolds), ‘cazelles’ (shepherd huts), terraces, caves and other features of pastoral life.
Milk production is reserved for the manufacture of Roquefort cheese, the delight of many a gourmet ! Farmers and artisans are delighted to share their passion for their work with you during visits to farms and workshops specialising in leather, glove-making spinning, etc.
Sporting enthusiasts are not forgotten ! Larzac is home to lots of trail-running events like the « Roc de la Lune » at Saint-Jean-du Bruel, « Festival des Hospitaliers » at Nant and « Course nature » at Lapanouse de Cernon. Adventurers seeking an adrenalin rush can go canyoning or bungee jumping while family attractions include rail-biking and the Reptilarium du Larzac at Ste Eulalie de Cernon, Noria (exhibition all about water) at St Jean du Bruel.
Tickle your tastebuds with delicious specialities from Larzac : flaune (sweet flan), melsat (spicy sausage) and gatis au Roquefort (cheese buns) are on the menu, served with Pastis des Homs! And finally, don’t miss the area’s major events : the Mascarades Médiévales, Larzac Chamber Music Festival, Fers et Lames (cutler and blacksmith festival) and numerous trail races.
