Cycling and walking holidays in Aveyron and Cevennes, Parc des Grands Causses

TARN, AVEYRON, LOZERE and CEVENNES

Albi and Tarn Valley up to Millau.

Millau, Larzac, Tarn Valley, Pays de Roquefort, Gorges du Tarn

Millau and Albi

Far away from all the hustle and bustle, at 700km South of Paris, the Tarn river flows from the Cevennes through the departments Lozère, Aveyron and Tarn and the Grands Causses area.

Here le "Midi" (South of France) begins: A nice climate, : mountains, limestone plateaus (Causses), lush green valleys, roaring rivers (Tarn, Jonte, Dourbie, Lot, Aveyron, Dourdou). Lots of small villages here instead of large urban areas with dense population. No fast food here, but the French cuisine, honest food in small family-run hotels where you will get a warm welcome.

Aveyron is also a rich source of (ancient) culture: the district of Templars, medieval cloisters and places of pilgrimage. And... apart from the cyclists and hikers, a renowned district for bird-watching, mountain-biking, (fly-)fishing, but above all a region for those who seek nature, quiet and vistas of mountains, valleys and plateaus, called Causses.

Albi is a nice start for accessing the Grands Causses nature park.
By the lovely Tarn valley you will reach Millau in 2, 3 or 4 days cycling, 7 or 8 days walking.

More info on Parc des Grands Causses in www.tourisme-aveyron.com

Tarn Valley, Between Albi and Millau

From Albi , pink city - with its beautiful old brick-built centre, the Toulouse-Lautrec museum and its Cathedral - to Millau, in the center of Parc des Grands Causses, you will be walking or biking in Tarn river valley. Down in the valley between two hilly plateaux rising up to 700m altitude the river flows swiftly to the West through a beautiful valley and by the Raspes du Tarn . You'll see and visit old castles in Brousse-le-Chateau, Coupiac, St.Izaire and pitoresque villages like Ambialet and St.Rome de Tarn to arrive at the viaduct of Millau.

From Millau, a pleasant small Mediterranean alike city, also the gateway to the better known canyons of the Gorges du Tarn and an important centre of activity holidays, you'll start the Tarn Valley walks under the worlds highest viaduct from where you will be heading towards Albi.

From the second half of June the chirring sound of cicades will go all along with you as if you were in Provence.

Walking holidays in Tarn valley: H33

South of the Tarn river, water acting on the limestone plateaux created caves, subterranean rivers, gushing springs.The most famous of the caves is now still used for the ripening of sheep cheese: Roquefort, king of cheeses, cheese of kings.

Cycling or walking in Pays de Roquefort you will cross the Causse du Larzac and some Medieval Templars garrisons from where crusades set out in 10th-13th centuries. In the Redlands of Camarès you will visit the Cistercienzer Abbaye de Sylvanès. St.Affrique, a small Southern town, is the starting place of many walks in this walking area.

Light walking holiday in Roquefort and Sud-Aveyron Moderate or Challenging cycling holiday in Roquefort and Sud-Aveyron

Gorges and Causses, Cevennes, Gorges du Tarn

East of Millau the Tarn river and its tributaries carved out 4 canyon like Gorges: Gorges de la Dourbie, Gorges de la Jonte, Gorges du Trèvezel and the most famous of all the Gorges du Tarn. These Gorges are at the heart ofthe most spectacular walking and cycling area of the Grands Causses Natural Parc. Steep crags of 400m and the typical scenery of limestone plateaux dissected by rivers.You'll see the Grotte Rose of Dargilan, the unusual scenery of the Causses (Le Chaos de Montpellier le Vieux and Roques Altes). Your walk begins and ends in Millau or at Château de Creissels.

Walking tours in the Gorges du Tarn

Tarn valley, Pays de Roquefort and the Canyons of the Gorges and Causses are part of the Parc Naturel des Grands Causses.
Millau lies in the centre of this nature park and is the centre of activity holidays in France. The National park of the Cevennes and the Grands Causses Nature Park are contingent nature parks.