Short promenades around Sainte-Enimie

Splendours, breathtaking views, water, green landscapes or bare moutains, windy and treeless lands, strange stone figures and everywhere, flowers, grass and sheep ! Sainte-Enimie, 470 m high, between barren sculpted mountains and one of the deepest places of the Tarn river is a splendid medieval city, born during the 6th century, bearing its Saint's name. Its slopy streets paved with Tarn shingle, its small squares and old houses, its numerous stairways sometimes carved out of the rock, lead to the monastery, the belvedere, to Sainte-Madeleine Chapel, to beautiful Notre-Dame du Gourg Church, to the Burle Fountain (closely linked to the life of the Saint), to the Tarn sides and onto the bridge that allowed so many pilgrims and herds to follow their way [2].

"Circuit des Arcs de Saint-Pierre et des Vautours" : D 986 - cross the Tarn at St-Chely - climb up to col de Cauperlac : dazzling view over the cirque de Saint-Chely - Hures-la-Parade - La Volpilliere - Saint-Pierre des Tripies. Start walking from the beautiful church of this austere Causses village : pine underwoods, hiking trails, Dead Man's cave where 50 skeletons were found, trepanned with flint tools [3], remnants of a prehistoric village, fantastic rocks named : "Republic", "Houdan hen"... and the three outstanding Saint-Pierre natural arches resulting from limestone erosion. Walk through the woods to the aviaries from which the first vultures (cercnoptere and wild tawny), after a 40 years absence, returned to their original land. At first observers from the top of the surrounding peaks [4], they dash down on animal carcasses put on the eyrie by the guards [5]. These mighty birds glide by, a magical show in a silky sound. Back to Sainte-Enimie via Blanquefort, Les Vignes bridge on the Tarn, the road along the river through La Malene, Pas du Soucy, Cirque de Baumes, La Caze Castel, cirque de Saint-Chely .

"Circuit de Nimes le Vieux" : drive to the Col de Perjuret via Castelbouc-the-magnificent, Montbrun, Quezac, Ispagnac, Florac, Fraissinet de Fourques. From the col, a long walk lead to a majestic ruined farm, la Fretma (huge, numerous outbuildings, stone vaults partly secured by pieces of slate. All window frames are carved out of a single stone). The landscape is dry and the wind bends the "angel hair", delicate silvery grass [6]. Many flowers and wild thyme. Arrival at Le Veygalier, together with flocks of sheep : Nimes le Vieux is a a wide and astounding area of ruiniform rocks, born out of the limestone plateau dating back to 200 to 140 millions years "camel" [7], shaky rock [8]... It was a shelter for numerous Camisards (Cevennes region Calvinists) during the religious wars. Back to Sainte-Enimie by l'Hom, col de Perjuret, Meyrueis.

"Circuit de Montpellier-le-Vieux et de l'Aven Armand" : a 3 hours walk amidst flowers in an indescribable chaos to discover the rocks named "amphora", "bear", "Arch of Triumph" [9], "Queen Victoria", "Door of Mycenae", ... and the Douminal (dominating place)". The visit can me done in a mini train. Back in Lozere, some 40km North-East to take the funicular down to the Aven-Armand, discovered on Septembre 18, 1897 by Louis Armand, E.A. Martel and Armand Vire. 50m underground, enchanting lights enhance more than 400 stalagmites [10] - the tallest is 30 meters high - a miracle of balance and fragility [11]. The tallest is 30m high. Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral could easily stay in the main cave.

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» Related Escapades

Sainte-Enimie - Gorges du Tarn and Lozere, Orgon waterfall and Causse Mejean
Canoe on the Tarn, Causse Mejean from the sky, Orgon, Mont Aigoual, Jonte canyon

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