CHANGEFÈGE VILLAGE

Located on the limestone plateau of the same name, the village of Changefège is a quintessential example of a traditional Causse village. Nestled on the southern slope, sheltered from the north winds, the village is centered around its communal bread oven (owned collectively by all the village landowners). Right next to it stands a "ferradou" (a shoeing frame for oxen). Only the four uprights remain, used to support the straps and relieve the ox while it was being shod. This practice allowed oxen to work in fields where the abundance of stones would have severely damaged their hooves. Several houses have retained their original layout, with a main house sometimes topped by a dovecote and one or more farm buildings. Each house had its own cistern; the village fountain is located several dozen meters below the village. Nearby attractions include a "lavogne" (a type of watering trough for livestock), the fountain, and a dolmen, a cast-iron cross with a Virgin Mary in adoration.