The ‘Mende et Lot en Gévaudan’ region of art and history is an association of 22 local authorities dedicated to promoting the local heritage. It offers residents and tourists alike guided tours, talks, festivals and a range of guidebooks.
Mende and Lot in Gévaudan: a land of art and history
Natural heritage (landscapes, springs, remarkable trees…), built heritage (churches and cathedrals, castles, mills…), and human heritage (craftspeople, famous figures…), the upper Lot valley, from its source to its confluence with the Colagne, is a region with no shortage of attractions. It is to showcase all this wealth – which is sometimes somewhat overlooked – that the elected representatives of the 22 municipalities that make up the area, in partnership with the State, decided to create the ‘Pays d’art et d’histoire’ (PAH) ‘Mende & Lot en Gévaudan’.
Since then, the Pah has been organising, mainly during the summer season, a wide range of events that enable visitors to discover or rediscover this very distinctive heritage in the historic heart of Gévaudan.
“We have guided and interactive tours throughout the summer, concerts, exhibitions, talks, a music festival, an educational programme for young people, and a long-term project to install signage on the buildings,” explains Nelly Lafont, architecture and heritage coordinator at the Pah.
A closer look at Mende Cathedral: a historical tour!
The Cathedral of Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Privat in Mende is the only Gothic building in Lozère. Its construction began in the 14th century on the orders of Pope Urban V, who was originally from Gévaudan. Its two bell towers, meanwhile, date from the early 15th century. Partially destroyed during the Wars of Religion and rebuilt in the 17th century, it was not fully completed until the 19th century. It is also notable for its 12th-century Black Madonna, its 17th-century organ and woodwork, the clapper of the ‘Non Pareille’ – the largest bell in Christendom, installed in the 17th century – and a 20th-century high altar. It has been listed as a historic monument since 1906.
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