Head up to Mont-Lozère and explore its exceptional granite outcrops. To discover this natural gem nestled in the Cévennes National Park, you’ve come to the right place to plan your holiday, combining heritage, nature and outdoor activities.

Explore this mountain range along its many hiking trails and lose yourself in the narrow streets of the villages. Spend a lazy afternoon on the beach at Lake Villefort. In winter, Mont-Lozère is blanketed in snow and becomes a paradise for winter sports enthusiasts. With hiking, climbing, heritage, relaxation and winter sports on offer, the Mont-Lozère nature reserve comes alive throughout the four seasons.


Discover Mont-Lozère

Granitic chaos at sunset

Granite formations and unspoilt nature

Situated between Bleymard, Florac, Pont-de-Montvert and Villefort, Mont-Lozère offers views of the castles of Aujac, Portes and Sénéchas, with Mont Ventoux on the horizon. Unlike the Cévennes valleys, Mont-Lozère is damp and green, criss-crossed by streams. Winters here are particularly harsh. In this landscape of pastures, at altitudes of up to 1,300 metres, herds of cattle and sheep graze near hamlets and farms that are still in operation.

The site is characterised by peat bogs made up of shaignes (mosses): around a thousand have been recorded, dotted with rushes and home to insectivorous plants and common frogs… Elsewhere, the vegetation features grasses, pansies and wild tulips, broom, yellow gentian, blueberries, heather and bent grass… Not to mention the wildlife, including lizards, migratory birds, wild boars, red deer and roe deer, which are often spotted in the beech and fir forests. Menhirs, Gallo-Roman ruins, medieval villages – it’s an open-air museum that you can explore at your leisure. So do treat yourself!

Hikers on Mont-Lozère
Mont Lozère
Mont Lozère

The Chassezac Gorges

Set in a wild, rugged landscape, the granite gorges of the Chassezac offer a variety of sites with exceptional views—ideal for beginners. The area features nearly 150 climbing routes spread across three sectors. For a refreshing break, the gorges also offer the chance to try canyoning under professional guidance.

La Cham des Bondons

Gargantua has been here! He is said to have been spotted in the Gorges du Tarn, at the summit of the Margeride and, of course, at the Cham des Bondons… Wherever Gargantua passed, the Lozère took on his generous forms. Clinging to the flank of Mont-Lozère, facing the cliffs of the Méjean, the Cham des Bondons and its two puechs – outcrops often compared to the breasts of a mother goddess – overlook the Tarn valley. At an altitude of over 1,100 metres, on these limestone hilltops exposed to the full force of the wind, stands one of the largest concentrations of menhirs in Europe, second only to the site at Carnac in Brittany. Other protohistoric remains can also be found here, such as dolmens and burial mounds.

Puech des Bondons in spring
Puech des Bondons in spring, © nicole.jeymet

154

This is the number of menhirs that make up the Cham des Bondons. This makes it the second-largest concentration of megaliths in France, after Carnac in Brittany! They range in height from 1.5m to 5.5m. Their presence remains a mystery, fuelling legends such as that of a phallic cult dedicated to fertility.

Hike to the Col de Finiels

The highest point in Lozère

Le Pic de Finiels

1,699 metres. You’d think it was afraid of scaring you by rounding up to the nearest hundred. A bit like price tags in supermarkets. Except that, in the case of the Pic de Finiels, it’s not your wallet that’s taking a hit. It’s your legs! Along the montjoies – those standing stones that once guided Robert Louis Stevenson in his day – the path climbs, climbs, climbs. It didn’t see fit to zigzag. Like an arrow, it shoots straight ahead to scale the roof of Lozère.

Will you be just as quick when it’s your turn to tackle the 4 km stretch with a 300-metre climb? To keep you motivated, think about what awaits you at the summit. A snack, perhaps. A sip of cool water, no doubt. But also, and above all, a splendid panorama of the Cévennes valleys. I promise, you’ll soon realise why Stevenson nicknamed them the ‘blue hills’. In exactly 4 km’s time.

Discover Mont-Lozère

Lake Villefort 

Situated on the shores of a lake ideal for swimming, water sports and fishing, Villefort is a superb destination for a holiday in the heart of nature, and the lakeside walking trail is a fine example of this. For thrill-seekers, head towards Castanet, where a via ferrata overlooks the lake. Accessible on foot or by canoe, several routes of varying difficulty await you. Do you love the great outdoors? Come to Lake Villefort, a unique spot in Lozère.


What is there to do on Mont-Lozère?

La Garde-Guérin

Situated at an altitude of 900 metres on the heights above Villefort, La Garde-Guérin is a small medieval town overlooking the Chassezac Gorges and its dizzying canyons. Situated near the ancient Roman road known as ‘La Régordane’, La Garde-Guérin was established as a fortified settlement as early as the 12th century. Listed as a historic monument and ranked amongst the most beautiful villages in France, it was fully restored in the 1960s and 1970s. Thanks to the work of the G.A.R.D.E association, its collection of medieval-style houses and narrow streets is the subject of guided tours. And the village hosts a wide range of events during the summer. Nearby, a viewpoint with a panoramic path offers breathtaking views of the Chassezac Gorges, where visitors can enjoy canyoning, rock climbing, via ferrata, mountain biking and hiking.

View of the village of La Garde-Guérin

The Garde-Guérin keep, the last remaining part of a citadel that was dismantled in the 12th century, offers a superb view of the Chassezac Gorges. Vehicles are not permitted in the village, leaving you free to stroll around at your leisure and immerse yourself in its medieval history.

Rune Cascade

The Rune Waterfall

This double waterfall is situated at the foot of Mont-Lozère, near the village of Pont-de-Montvert. The Cascade de Runes: an ideal place to cool off on hot days, but also a popular spot for photos, particularly in autumn, when nature is ablaze with a myriad of colours.

Le Pont-de-Montvert

In the Mont-Lozère massif, peaceful villages bear witness to the region’s richness and its history. Le Pont-de-Montvert, a granite village nestled in the heart of the Haut Tarn valley, has a certain charm. A pretty Gothic bridge, topped by a clock tower, spans the Tarn, which at this point is a large, rushing stream.

The village of Pont-de-Montvert and the River Tarn

The road winds through wild and sparsely populated countryside. At higher altitudes, we pass close to the highest peaks in Lozère! […] The Pic de Finiels resembles a barren plateau; various tracks and paths criss-cross the vast green expanses, leading to several orientation points situated at the summit. The view stretches far into the distance, and in fine weather, the panorama from the summit takes in the Alps, the Puy de Sancy and as far as Mont Aigoual.”

Outdoor activities

This is a paradise for sports enthusiasts and lovers of outdoor activities. With long-distance hiking trails, walking and cycling routes, climbing and canyoning routes, and even ski resorts, you’re in an open-air playground, whatever the season.

Outdoor pool at the Bagnols-les-Bains thermal spa

The spa town of Bagnols-les-Bains

In the Cévennes National Park, the Aqua Calida spa offers excellent therapeutic options for chronic respiratory and ENT conditions. Indeed, the spring used for Aqua Calida’s thermal facilities has been flowing from Mont-Lozère for thousands of years at a temperature of 41 degrees and contains mineral salts, fluorine, sodium bicarbonate and sulphur. It is primarily used for treatments relating to rheumatology and respiratory conditions. The spa’s climate and altitude also play a part in the various treatments.

The spa resort of Bagnols-les-Bains is increasingly embracing eco-friendly spa treatments, thanks in particular to its geographical location: at an altitude of 900 metres, close to Mont-Lozère and the source of the River Lot, the air here is pure, invigorating and dry. Treat yourself to a timeless moment of relaxation at the spa and make the most of the various wellness facilities on offer at the resort.

Bagnols-les-Bains Spa

Stay in Mont-Lozère

Accommodation

Fancy a change of scenery with a stay in accommodation on Mont-Lozère? Give it a go and book your bed and breakfast, holiday cottage, self-catering accommodation, hotel room, stopover accommodation, camping pitch or room in a holiday village.

How do I get there?


Frequently Asked Questions

The highest peak in the Mont-Lozère range is the Col de Finiels: 1,699 metres above sea level.

The highest peak is the Col de Finiels: 1,699 metres above sea level.

Several rivers have their source on Mont-Lozère: the Tarn, the Lot, etc.

Did you find this content useful?