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You are here: Home / Travel / Europe / France / Lost Cities in Les Causses et Les Cevennes

Lost Cities in Les Causses et Les Cevennes

November 26, 2013 by Fiona Maclean 6 Comments

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Last Updated on April 7, 2019 by Fiona Maclean

An Underground Cathedral, a City in the Rocks and More:

While it may be outside my comfort zone and certainly outside my capabilities as a photographer to make any kind of decent attempt to reproduce the drama of this landscape, it would be churlish not to share some of the almost surreal landscapes of Les Causses et Les Cevennes

Causses et Cevennes - Aven Armand

Aven Armand lies some 50 to 60 metres underground.  Discovered in 1897 by Louis Armand, Eduoard Alfred Martel and Armand Vire, the name comes from a local dialect word for a vertical well.  Once you’ve made your way down via funicular the spectacle of the cave, larger than Notre Dame begins.  A forest of stalagmites and stalactites formed over hundred of thousands of years.

Causses et Cevennes Aven Armand Stalagmites

An amazing display – I couldn’t help but remember some of the sights in Park Guell, the Gaudi tribute to nature in Barcelona

Causses et Cevennes - Caves

It’s only when starting to write this piece up that I realised the link between the Cathedralesque cave and the ‘ruined city’ – Montpellier le Vieux.  In my naivity, I’d anticipated one of those medieval villages.  But Montpellier le Vieux is actually a natural phenomenon, although there are plenty of rocks which bear a strong resemblance to a long abandoned settlement.  The link, that the mapping and exploration of Montpellier le Vieux was the work of Edouard, Alfred Martel, who had also been instrumental in uncovering Aven Armand.

Causses et Cevennes - pillar

The area is maintained as a natural park, where you can walk or take a short train journey around.

Causses et Cevennes - Montpellier-le-Vieux

Or if you are feeling adventurous and suitably dressed, you can zipline across (that’s not me by the way!)

Causses et Cevennes - Katie flies

 

Causses et Cevennes Katie

Zip lining does involve climbing up a ladder on the rock-face to reach the peak.  There are a number of different levels, some of which involve an element of caving and rock climbing as well as four zip-lines and of course, where appropriate the event is supervised by trained instructors.

For those of a gentler disposition, there is still plenty to see. There are a number of set walking routes where you can spot the bear, the camel and pinocchio amongst other strange rock formations.

Causses et Cevennes - Bear

It’s not hard to imagine how the shepherds on their annual drailles thought this surreal limestone formation was a ruined city.

 

Causses et Cevennes Montpellier-le-Vieux - Pinnochio

It is a wonderful place to explore. Apart from the rock formations, there are a myriad of wild flowers to see.

Causses et Cevennes - montpellier le vieux rock formations

While I’m not in anyway a geologist, I would love to return to Les Causses et Les Cevennes one day and learn a little more.  It’s a beautiful and dramatic landscape carved by nature.

Causses et Cevennes - Cirque de Navacelles
More thanks to Jackie Bru, Inger Berckhauer and  Lysiane Boissy d’Anglas from the tourist offices of Causses et Cevennes for their guidance and hospitality on this trip  for their guidance and hospitality on this trip.

Filed Under: France, Travel Tagged With: Causses et Cevennes

About Fiona Maclean

London based freelance writer and marketing consultant. I edit London-Unattached.com and write for a number of other publications. With a music degree and a background in marketing across many sectors, my passions include all types of music, food, restaurants, wine and travel

Comments

  1. Mary @ Green Global Travel says

    December 2, 2013 at 4:45 pm

    You have documented such incredible formations. The last image is beautiful as well! What a dramatic landscape!

    Reply
    • Fiona Maclean says

      December 2, 2013 at 4:51 pm

      Yes I should really have written a bit about the last image – that is le cirque de navacelles another natural formation…

      Reply
  2. Stevie Wilson says

    December 1, 2013 at 12:11 am

    This is pretty spectaular.. Have you seen anything like this before? Your photos are spectacular

    Reply
    • Fiona Maclean says

      December 1, 2013 at 9:53 pm

      no I haven’t seen anything like it anywhere…at least not the outdoors ones. I’ve been in Stalactite caves before of course, but never one as huge as this one

      Reply
  3. Kevin says

    November 28, 2013 at 4:34 am

    Quite beautiful. (The rocks too.) 😉

    Reply
  4. Pamela Morse says

    November 27, 2013 at 3:48 pm

    How amazing these formations are. You must have really enjoyed this..and the pics are marvelous ..well done, photographer.

    Reply

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