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INTRODUCTION

In my bedroom in the large rambling house where I grew up was a shelf full of an odd assortment of books, old and new. It was not until my early teens that I noticed a small, insignificant book entitled Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes by Robert Louis Stevenson. This was my first introduction to a mysterious region of wild rolling hills and gorges in southern France. At the time I cared little about the Cevennes, but was more interested in the antics of a stubborn small donkey called Modestine, who sometimes consented to carry the few belongings of a then unknown Scottish student as he wound his way up and down dale.

Much later in life I reread the same little book, and it was then that I decided to explore the region on foot and visit some of the places so vividly described by Stevenson. Of course much has changed: roads have been built, towns have grown in size and tourism is now the main economic resource. Yet most of the landscape remains hauntingly wild and desolate. Many of the villages Stevenson walked through are now crumbling ruins, as many of the people, unable to survive by agriculture, left at the turn of the 19th century. In 1879 Stevenson encountered more people on his travels through the Cevennes than I did on mine!

My first Cevennes experience was a four-day circular walk in February. Although I got lost and very cold – not knowing how winter lingers in this rough upland country – the subtle magic of the area, steeped in historical conflict and economic hardship, fascinated me, and I knew I would eventually return to find out more.

It was not until many years later that I could go back and write a walking book, basing myself in two little towns, one to the north and the other to the south of the Cevennes National Park. The two areas are quite different – the south gentler and covered in chestnut trees, the north bleak open moorland and deep gorges. Insidiously the fascination of walking and discovering this remote countryside became an obsession and a pleasure, shared as always by my faithful team of walking companions.

The Cevennes

When I tell people that I am walking in the Cevennes they often look rather puzzled – some fish for the exact location by pretending they know where it is; others know the Cevennes is somewhere in France; the less inhibited come straight out and say ‘Where on earth is it?’

The Cevennes is on the southern end of the Massif Central area of France, to the west of Provence and north of the coastal town of Montpellier, but where the area begins and ends is not clear because it is not a definite département (county). The southern part belongs to the Département d’Herault, the east to the Rhône-Alpes and the Gard, and the whole region, which extends from north of the Lozère to the Spanish border, is called Languedoc/Roussillon. The real Cevennes is such a criss-cross of narrow valleys and wild upland country that it does not even have a large town at its centre. Alès, in the southeast, is the administrative capital, but is on the very perimeter of the Cevennes proper. The two dominant mountainous regions are Mont Aigoual and the more northern Mont Lozère, both part of the newly created Cevennes National Park. They are bounded in the west by four upland plateaux called causses: (from north to south) Sauveterre, Méjean, Noir and Larzac; these are separated by deep gorges, the most northern being the famous Gorges du Tarn. To the south is the leafy Arre valley and the Mediterranean.

Why the Cevennes is so little known is something of an enigma, as only the Rhône valley separates the region from Provence, the most visited area of France. But the Cevennes is so different that it could be worlds away. In place of cosy hilltop villages, the Cevennes landscape is harsh, mountainous and deserted. The weather is more extreme – the winters are cold and windblown, snow often covering the higher slopes, and the summers are dry and hot. This is not a place to appeal to the well-heeled retirement crowd or the casual tourist. The Cevennes attracts those who have a taste for a more rugged and subtle landscape – the mysterious emptiness of its endless hillsides that look like the blue crests of waves rolling to a misty horizon, the deep dark gorges and flat, stark plains resembling the Russian steppes. The Cevenese people are dour and taciturn until you get to know them but also independent and tough, with a devotion to a Calvinistic faith that sets them apart from neighbouring regions.

In the guidebook I have split the walking areas into two – north and south of the national park, the boundary being the Mont Aigoual. In the south I stayed in a tiny huddle of houses called Loves, set in a dense chestnut forest 3km up a winding road near the town of Le Vigan. Florac on the river Tarnon was my centre for the northern walks and the starting point of my tour of Mont Lozère.

Most of the walks undertaken are within one hour’s drive from the towns of Le Vigan and Florac and are well signposted. There are no paths going across private land (so walkers avoid being diverted by irate landowners), and fewer habitations mean fewer farms with yappy dogs! When you walk here you rarely meet other people or stumble on habitation – you get mesmerised by the emptiness of the country, by the endless hills stretching into nowhere and the wonderful feeling of being really alone – a rare pleasure in this constantly growing bustle of Europe.

Southern Cevennes (Walks 1–16)

The southern region, known as the Cevennes Meridionales, with the small town of Le Vigan in the Arre valley, has a Mediterranean character. Olives, vines and a variety of fruit trees are grown on the lower south-facing slopes, and the once useful mulberry trees still flourish, together with the chestnut trees at a higher altitude. The main town is Le Vigan, with 4500 inhabitants, situated on the southern side of the Mont Aigoual. It is an authentic, lively little town, the centre for a large rural area which has happily escaped being smartened up and given over exclusively to tourism. Although it, too, suffered from the decline in the silkworm industry at the end of the 19th century, it managed to continue the tradition by producing stockings, scarves and other textile products thanks to the installation of a large factory. The river Arre meanders through the town, spanned by a magnificent old Roman bridge, and in the vicinity is the Musée Cévenol, which gives a fascinating insight into the rural industries and culture of the region (see Walk 1 for opening times and further information).

A few kilometres southwards is the Blandas Causse (upland plateau), which always comes as a surprise, as the switch from green hills to arid limestone plain is unexpected. It has a curious ring of stones rather like a mini-Stonehenge. These are unprotected and unpublicised, but if you see them you can just stop the car and wander around! Further on this flat region is cut in two by the winding Vis river (see Walk 5 for further information).

Mont Aigoual

North of Le Vigan are the mountainous, mainly tree-covered slopes of Mont Aigoual (alt. 1567m), on the summit of which is a Victorian edifice housing one of the last high-altitude meteorological stations in Europe. It is worth visiting for the wonderful extended view of the surrounding mountains and the Causses, as well as, if the weather is clear, the Alps, Mont Ventoux in Provence and the sea!

Mont Aigoual, consisting of schist and granite, is the most southern upland area of the Massif Central and is a bulwark between the gentler climate to the south and the harsher temperatures of the north. For this reason it is often covered in cloud as the humid air of the Mediterranean meets the colder air of the Atlantic. The name Aigoual comes from the word ‘aigualis’, meaning water, which is very appropriate, as this is one of the wettest regions in France. It is also on the ‘water dividing line’– its streams flowing north to the Atlantic and south to the Mediterranean. This area is known for its extreme climatic changes and can be covered in snow for many of the winter months, which makes it a popular place for downhill and cross-country skiing.

The whole region is now a protected national park, created in 1970 and consisting of 230,000 hectares of rolling upland covered in moorland and forest. Unlike other French national parks, however, it has a permanent population of around 600 people, mostly sheep farmers, in its central zone. Every year in June there is a Fête de la Transhumance (sheep-droving festival) when the shepherds bring up their enormous flocks of sheep to graze on the upland pasture – the sheep are decorated with balls of wool and look very colourful. There are three main drailles (sheep paths) in the Cevennes, all going northwards – the Aubrac from Le Vigan or village of Valleraugue; the Margeride from St-Hippolyte-du-Fort; and the Gevaudan from St-Jean-du-Gard and Alès.

A hundred years ago Mont Aigoual was completely treeless and suffered from acute erosion; it was only thanks to the heroic efforts of one particular man, M. George Fabre (1844–1911), Director of Forestry, that the slopes are now covered with 15,000 hectares of forest. Not far from the summit is an arboretum and research station (called l’Hort-de-Dieu) created by the botanist Charles Flahaut from Montpellier (1852–1935), who, with the collaboration of M. Favre, planted a wide variety of species, some now over 100 years old and of impressive stature.

Starting in 1875 George Fabre cajoled various owners to sell their land and, despite opposition from the shepherds who often burnt the young saplings, he slowly started the tremendous task of replanting, using out-of-work local labourers. He finally handed 12,000 hectares to the state in 1914. The work continued with the building of roads over the mountain, but was interrupted during the First World War and through lack of funds. It was finally completed in 1939.

Although there are no walks in the book around the immediate summit, Walks 12–15 are in the Mont Aigoual vicinity. L’Abîme de Bramabiau is a vast underground cave, which is worth a visit (see Walk 15 for further information).

Northern Cevennes (Walks 17–31 and Tour of Mont Lozere)

The reason why Robert Louis Stevenson was attracted to the Cevennes is that the northern area, especially around Mont Lozère, resembles the highlands of Scotland – wild heather-clad slopes, rocky outcrops, flocks of sheep, herds of cattle (though quite different from the Scottish variety), stunted coniferous trees and rushing mountain streams. The region is cold and often covered with snow in winter, though hotter in summer than its northern counterpart – all that is missing is the squelch of bog!

Sandwiched between the upland regions of Mont Aigoual to the south and Mont Lozère to the north is the isolated small town of Florac. At the confluence of three valleys on the northern edge of the Cevennes National Park and the entrance to the famous Gorges du Tarn, it is dominated by the rocky crags of the Rocher du Rochefort, the edge of the Causse Méjean to the west; north is the Mont Lozère, with the larger town of Mende beyond. To the southeast is the scenic Cevennes ridge (Corniche des Cevennes). The D106 winds through the Mimente valley (Walk 30) linking Florac with the large town of Alès to the southeast, but it takes at least an hour to get there!

The pink rocky walls of this valley especially impressed Robert Louis Stevenson – he said that‘steep rocky red mountains overhung the stream’, but he couldn’t find a spot to tie up his donkey because the valley was so narrow. Apart from the road it has not changed!

Chapel St Cyprien (Walk 8)

Formerly under the sovereignty of the Bishop of Mende, Florac was constantly revolting under the yoke of its oppressors and then, in the 16th century, it became one of the centres of the conversion to Calvinism (see‘A Short History of the Cevennes’). Now it serves as the administrative centre of a large rural region and also lives off tourism.

With a rushing mountain stream flowing through the town under picturesque bridges, the narrow, flower-decked streets of Florac draw the holiday crowds, especially for the lively weekly market, but its main claim to fame is that the château, which dominates the town, is the administrative headquarters of the Cevennes National Park.

Corniche des Cevennes (Walks 28 and 29)

Linking Florac to St-Jean-du-Gard in the southeast is the dramatic Corniche des Cevennes, which is a long upland shoulder between the Vallée Francaise and the Vallée Borne, punctured by narrow twisting gorges and ravines (serres). At first a mere track used by the shepherds taking their sheep to upland pastures (a draille) it then became a mule track for traders going from the Mediterranean plain of Languedoc to the Gevaudan area in the north. It is now a scenic route much appreciated by tourists, as the views on all sides are magnificent. The little town of St-Jean-du-Gard at the eastern end at the confluence of the two valleys has a interesting cultural museum; once a flourishing centre for the silk, leather and wool cottage industries, it is now mainly a tourist centre.

Mont Lozère

Mont Lozère is a huge area of high granite plateaux at the north of the Cevennes region surrounded by rivers: to the north the Lot, to the east l’Altier and to the south the Gardon and the Luech. What little habitation there was has mainly disappeared, though, according to records, there is still a population of 500 people who live from sheep farming, cattle breeding and forestry. Formerly thousands of sheep made their way from the Languedoc plains in the south to these northern uplands along the well-trodden drailles, but now fewer than 3000 make the journey each year.

Until 1795 the knights of Saint John of Jerusalem owned much of the land and installed their headquarters in the isolated village of l’Hôpital. Their territory was marked by stones with a Maltese cross engraved on them, some of which can still be seen today, especially on the ascent of Pic du Finiels (alt. 1699m). The tour of Mont Lozère should not be taken lightly, though there are no technical difficulties and the path is well signposted. It is a remote upland region and there are no villages or friendly cafés to help you on your way should you feel in need of comfort and refreshment. Neither did the author meet many people, though this could be different at the height of the season. Even so every landlord seemed to know who we were and where we had come from, so there must be a bush telegraph in operation! It is advisable to book your accommodation in advance in case the establishments are shut or full.

In an effort to promote the region, the tourist department has created a rather ugly ski station at the foot of the Pic du Finiels, and there are some ski lifts and cross-country ski trails. In high summer there are quite a number of tourists who drive here to make the relatively short walk to the summit of Pic du Finiels (see Walk 20).

A small limestone area to the southwest of Mont Lozère called the Can de Bonbons (a can is a small causse or plain) is marked by huge granite standing stones called menhirs (see Walk 18). It is not known whether they were erected as markers or had some sort of religious significance. What is amazing is that early man could drag these enormous stones and erect them in such an isolated, high area. Many of the stones have now been bedded in concrete to preserve them.

Causse Méjean

To the west is the high, sparsely populated limestone plain of the Causse Méjean (30km by 20km) which lies at an altitude of approximately 1000m, surrounded by the 500m-high cliffs of the Gorges du Tarn and the Gorges de la Jonte. Freezing in winter and extremely hot in summer, it would not be an easy place to live, and the few isolated hamlets are mainly deserted. Since there are few trees (though in some places conifers have been planted) the wind whistles across the bare fields. The limestone absorbs the spring rain and, though it has hollowed out underground rivers and gorges, little water remains on the surface except in shallow depressions called lavognes, which enable the flocks to drink and the farmers to grow wheat, corn and barley. The sudden extreme changes in temperature have caused the rocks to crack and created clapas, piles of rocks and stones, which are often used to make low stone walls.

After walking up the side of the gorge, with its fascinating rocky outcrops and vertiginous cliff face, it is always something of a shock to arrive at this flat upland landscape at the top (see Walk 23). It is as though you have suddenly entered another world, with its silent windswept slopes, some dotted with boulders and bushes, small isolated fields and the occasional fir plantation, but little else. The few farms still occupied concentrate on cattle, sheep raising or making cheese. This is also the home of the rare Prezwalski horse, which is threatened with extinction in the wild but flourishes here in a protected area of 300 hectares. On the western edge, where the Gorges du Tarn meets the Gorges de la Jonte, the bald-headed vulture can be seen, its huge wings cruising the air currents among the high, dramatic cliffs. These birds were reintroduced to the region in the 1970s.

Although there are roads, to get the feel of this unique country you have discover it on foot, and one of the most interesting walks is to a strange rocky area called the Chaos de Nîmes (see Walk 26). There is also a long-distance walk around the Causse Méjean, which takes about six days.

Gorges du Tarn

The Tarn rises near the Pic Cassini in the Mont Lozère region. In its infancy a narrow, rushing, rocky stream, it widens and grows calmer as it flows west through the village of Pont-de-Montvert to join the river Tarnon at the Pont du Tarn, north of Florac. Here the cliffs are already high, but as the river sinuously carves its way like a huge snake through the Causse Sauveterre to the north and the Causse Méjean to the south, the cliff walls become even higher and more dramatic. The rare villages and habitations that cling to the riverbanks are completely overshadowed by these daunting walls of rock, often pitted with caves and small bushes.

Solitary graves at Moulin des Geminards (Walk 29)

The river continues westwards and then turns south to meet the Jonte river. All along are impressive cliffs and look-out points, and in summer the D907, which follows the river, is clogged with cars and tourists. One of the best ways to experience the gorge is to go down on a boat, if you don’t mind the odd rapid! Seen from above the water is a deep translucent green, which contrasts with the silvery sheen of the pebble beaches, dotted with bikini-clad sunbathers in high season. After the Corniches de Méjean cliffs, the river opens up and turns southwest towards the town of Millau.

A Short History of the Cevennes

Like other areas of southern France, in prehistoric times the Cevennes was a melting pot of different tribes and cultures, although it seems that early man took longer to penetrate the narrow upland valleys of this remote region. The earliest traces of civilisation have been found in caves and overhanging grottos where primitive man sheltered in order to survive by hunting and fishing.

During the Bronze Age hundreds of megaliths – standing stones called menhirs and dolmens – were constructed and placed in prominent places on tops of ridges and passes (see Walks 5, 18 and 23). Why they were put there, and how, is still a mystery – they could have been used for religious purposes, as waymarks for travellers or even for early scientific experiments regarding the solar system. In any case, the size of some of them and the fact that they were dragged to these remote summits is a tribute to the ingenuity and courage of our ancestors.

Two tribes of Celtic origin occupied the Causses and the Cevennes regions around 6000 BC, the Gabales in the north and the Volques in the south. The conquest of France by Julius Caesar and the arrival of the Romans did not affect the remote areas of the Cevennes to any great extent, although archives have shown that in order to penetrate the Massif Central, ‘Caesar did not let winter hinder him from crossing the Cevennes on foot’, probably taking the drailles already in use by the Celts. Vestiges of a Roman road linking Nîmes to Millau can still be seen (Walk 3). Mention is also made that the most popular cheese in Rome came from the Lozère region. The Romans were also the first people to exploit the mineral riches of the region, and evidence has been found of early mining of iron, copper and silver, especially in the Tarn Gorge, where remains of Roman settlements have been discovered.

When the Roman Empire fell, confusion reined as the Visigoths and other barbarian hordes invaded southern France. The Saracens (Moors from north Africa) penetrated as far as the Vallée Français, but were driven off by Roland, nephew of Charlemagne. Little is known about historical events at this time, but by the ninth century the Cevennes was integrated into France proper and free from invasion.

Christianity was slower to penetrate the Cevennes than the other regions of France, and the first records indicate that the area was divided into two bishoprics, that of Mende to the north and Nîmes to the south. Monasteries and rural priories sprang into existence, such as the one in Ste-Enimie (see Walk 21). This was also the epoch of the local grand seigneurs, who ruled over different regions and who built their castles strategically overlooking the valleys and gorges of their domains. Together with the clergy they ruled the area militarily, politically and economically.

In the unstable environment of the 11th and 12th centuries the monasteries were often welcome havens of peace and stability. In the wild upland area of Mont Lozère the knights of the order of Saint John of Jersusalem established themselves in the village of l’Hôpital and founded the Commanderie (garrison) de Gap-Francès. They acquired vast tracts of land, and their boundaries were marked by large stones engraved with the cross of Malta, which are still standing to this day (see Walk 20 and Tour of Mont Lozère). Their benevolent rule lasted until the start of the French Revolution.

The War of the Camisards

The Cevennes only really entered the pages of history in the early 15th century, when much of the population was converted from Catholicism to the ideologies of Luther and Calvin. Preachers and settlers entered the region spreading the word of this new way of thinking. It fell on fertile ground, and such was the zeal of the local inhabitants that a message was sent to Geneva from the town of Le Vigan in October 1560 asking for a minister. By 1563 twelve ministers were preaching in the region. The reaction of the authorities was to send punitive expeditions into the area, but the inhabitants fled into the countryside and there was little bloodshed.

The Edict of Nantes was issued in 1598, wherein it was stated that religious liberty was permissible throughout France. The Calvinist faith flourished and chapels were built where the population could openly gather and hold services. However, in 1685, Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes and the massacre of the Protestants began. Chapels were burnt, whole villages massacred and those that were not killed were imprisoned or sent to the gallows. Instead of deterring the people this seemed to harden their faith and they gathered secretly in isolated farms and caves to conduct their services, including marriages, baptisms and funerals. Many of the richer and more educated families fled to Calvinistic countries such as Switzerland or Germany; some emigrated to Canada and America. Others decided to stay and fight it out.

The War of the Camisards lasted for only two years, but many innocent people, both Catholic and Protestant, were killed as a consequence. The word Camisard comes from the word‘camisa’, meaning chemise (shirt) in the Occitan language, signifying the special shirts worn by the adherents.

The war began with the murder of the Abbot de Chaila, who was harbouring prisoners in his house in Pont-de-Montvert in the Mont Lozère region (see Walk 19), by a group of insurgents led by Esprit Séguier, who was subsequently burnt alive a few weeks later. Surprisingly few of the noble families were involved, and it was mainly a war organised by the peasants, the four commanders being Roland Laporte from Mailet and Castanet from the Aigoual region, who were both wool carders; brickmaker Jouany from Genolhac; and a baker named Cavalier from the southern Cevennes. A number of skirmishes took place, with villages fighting against other villages, the burning of churches on both sides and families torn apart.

Finally the forces of authority led by the Maréchal de Villiers managed to seriously wound Cavalier after discovering his arms depot. He then capitulated and was accused of treachery by his compatriots. Fleeing to England he eventually became Governor of the island of Jersey. In the autumn of 1703 the Maréchal de Montrovel, the chief of the royalist forces, decided to burn 32 parishes loyal to the Camisard cause. Roland continued to fight but was betrayed and killed near Uzzes in 1704. After that the Camisards lost heart and the war fizzled out.

In 1787 the Edict of Nantes was reinstated and the Protestants were free again to lick their wounds and rebuild their chapels. When walking in the Cevennes it is not unusual to come across isolated small graveyards; since the people did not wish to bury their dead in the official Catholic cemeteries they buried them on their land or, in many cases, in their basements so they would not be discovered by the royalist soldiers!

The War of the Camisards has become a legend of Cevenese pride and endurance, but has permanently marked the mentality of the people, who tend to be uncommunicative and self-contained. Although many villages, particularly in the north Gevaudan, reconverted to Catholicism, the majority of the region has remained strongly Protestant; it has taken until the Second World War for the tensions to really heal so that both religious communities can live together in harmony.

Every first Sunday in September some 15,000 protestants and descendants of those that fled the country in the 15th century gather in Le Mas Soubeyran, near Mailet, at the Musée de Désert (so called in memory of the Hebrews who crossed the desert). Here, in the birthplace of the Camisard chief Roland, which has now been turned into a musem, they commemorate the hundreds of Cevenese who died for their belief. The museum is worth a visit and is open from 1st March to 30th November from 9.30 to 12.00 and 14.30 to 18.00, and all day from 1st July to 1st September.

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894)

No book can be written about the Cevennes region without a mention of the renowned writer Robert Louis Stevenson, who wrote his classic Travels with a Donkey in 1878. A young, penniless Scottish student, he walked from Puy-en-Velay southwards, over Mont Lozère to Florac, and continued down the Mimente valley to St-Jean-du-Gard. His adventures and tribulations with his donkey, Modestine, have enchanted readers the world over and put this remote mountainous region, in many ways so like Stevenson’s native Scotland, firmly on the map.

Walking the Stevenson Trail, which takes around five days (though it took Stevenson longer), is still very popular, and on some walks in this book (Walk 31 and the Tour of Mont Lozère) you will see signposting indicating that you are on the Sentier Stevenson.

Cevenese Life

The Bible, the tree of bread and the tree of gold: these were the three mainstays of Cevenese life – the Bible their source of culture, the chestnut tree their source of food and the mulberry tree fed the silkworms providing economic stability. Through these three resources the Cevennes people emerged from obscurity in the 16th and 17th centuries.

The Chestnut Industry

The origins of the chestnut tree forests are obscure but could date from the Iron Age, when the religious orders penetrated the region and began to clear the land and create the farms and villages that remain today. Chestnut trees were never part of the natural vegetation of the Cevennes, which was mainly oak, green oak and beech, but were planted on the slopes between 300m and 900m. In order to prosper the trees required constant maintenance, as they hate the cold and fog, needing a deep, rich soil with long periods of sunshine to ripen the nuts; they also need constant pruning, thinning out and manuring (they particularly like iron deposits) – all time-consuming and manpower-intensive activities. Indeed the Cevennes population could not cope alone, and itinerant workers came every year from surrounding regions to help with the chestnut harvest, and special markets were held to recruit these labourers (see Walk 29).

Until the end of the 19th century the cultivated chestnut trees were the main source of food for the Cevenese population. The nut, the wood, the leaves – every part of the tree was utilised. The nuts, collected in the autumn by special wooden rakes called gratto, were eaten fresh or dried and also ground into flour to make bread. The drying process took place in a stone building called a clède, which was built next to the mas (farm) or in the chestnut wood itself. The chestnuts were funnelled in from the outside and spread on a wooden grating hung underneath the beams. A fire was lit underneath and kept going for several weeks until the constant smoke had dried the nuts. They were then shelled, which was achieved by walking on them with special spiked shoes! The wood was used for building and for making furniture, beer barrels and fencing – even the traditional Cevenol beehives are made out of chestnut trunks. At the end of the harvest the flocks of sheep, goats and pigs grazed in the woods to fatten up on the leaves and remaining nuts.

In 1871 the chestnut forests were hit by disease called‘la maladie d’encre’and this, together with the exodus of the population, was the death knell of this noble tree. Two-thirds of the splendid chestnut woods have disappeared, cut down for their excellent wood, but have been replaced by other species, such as the Austrian pine, which do not need looking after. However, hundreds of chestnut trees still remain, most of them untended and some of magnificent size; they are a symbol of the Cevennes and of a tree that can nourish a whole population.

The Silk Industry

The other tree that is a symbol of the Cevennes is the mulberry. Again it was planted for a specific reason – to feed the silk worms whose cocoons furnished the silk thread to make clothes and stockings, the main economic resource of the region. Sericulture, or the art of making silk, started at the end of the 13th century but was at its height in the 17th.

Mulberry trees were planted at altitudes of up to 600m beside the roads and fields in convenient places where the leaves could be easily picked. Two tons of leaves were required to nourish 33g of eggs when they hatched into worms. Before special incubators were constructed in the 18th century, the eggs were kept warm in special sacks hung under the blouses and skirts of the women!

Once the worms had hatched they were kept and fed in the huge high buildings called magnanerie which are still seen in the Cevennes today, many of them in ruins. These buildings were constructed so that the rooms were kept at an even temperature with constant ventilation – hence the rows of small windows and many chimneys. After one month, when the worms had ceased eating and started to weave their cocoons – which took around three days and yielded 1500m of silk thread, it was imperative that the cocoons remained dry and did not rot. The thread was then spun off the cocoons, mainly by the nimble hands of women and young girls, to be made into bolts of silk, garments and stockings in the local factories.

In the middle of the 19th century the silk worms were struck by a disease called pébrine, and a remedy was not discovered until 20 years later in 1870. By this time cheap silk imports from China and India were entering the country, and the industry never recovered – the last silk-producing enterprise closed in 1965.

Decline of the Region

When the chestnut and silk industries failed, many of the Cevenese could no longer survive and the exodus began. Rather than emigrating to Australia, the United States or Canada, the people tended to move to the coalmining area around Alès, in the southeast, at the start of the Industrial Revolution. Between 1846 and 1896 the population of this area tripled, but the age of prosperity was short-lived, and one by one the mines closed. Many of the population then moved to other areas such as Marseilles and Montpellier.

Traditional beehives made of chestnut logs at Moulin des Geminards (Walk 29)

The First World War is the main reason why the Cevennes became one of the least populated areas of France. Because there was no work for the young men they signed up in droves and died likewise. During these years the population declined drastically, as in some villages all the young men were killed, leaving women and children to survive as best they could. Many of the villages were abandoned and remain in ruins to the present day. The Second World War had a less catastrophic effect, and the decline in population was only 10 per cent. In fact, during this period the area became a place of refuge, harbouring many exiles including Jews, who were fleeing persecution; the wild isolated areas of the Cevennes made a good hiding place. The Resistance (Le Maquis) played a role in dispersing and hiding the exiles in isolated villages and farms, the farmers being glad to have extra help with no questions asked!

Present-day Cevennes

Although the towns around the Cevennes, such as Alès, Mende and Montpellier, offer employment, economic opportunities for the isolated villages in the high upland regions now lie in tourism and in the sale of houses for conversion into secondary residences. Tourism is expanding as more and more people are looking for areas which are unspoilt and offer space and quiet. Some villages which, a decade ago, were silent and falling into ruins have now been renovated and brought back to life. The Cevenese who left their land in order to survive are now coming back, even if it is only to renovate the family farm and live there a few weeks a year. Painters, writers and other artisans are moving into the area, lured by relatively cheap property.

Perhaps the very fact that the Cevennes does not have an obvious agricultural or industrial future means it has a different role to play – as a refuge for those seeking a respite from the increased hussle and bustle of life in the big cities. In a world where roads and buildings are spreading everywhere, and the once green fields are covered in urban sprawl, we need the Cevennes to remain as it is – wild, empty, mysterious and forgotten!

Using the Guide

At the start of each walk details are given of the walk difficulty, time, height gain, maps, depart point and signposting.

Walk Difficulty

Most of the walks in this book are within the capacity of a reasonably fit person and are graded‘strenuous’(rather than difficult), ‘moderate’or‘easy’. The Cevennes region does not have high mountain peaks, so there are few sudden steep height gains and vertiginous places. Further details after the grading should give a good indication as to whether the walk is suitable for your abilities.

Time

The timings correspond to the average walking pace of a reasonably fit person, but this is only a rough guide, as everyone has a different rhythm. It is also important to leave plenty of time for stopping to look at the views, taking photos and for a picnic. Generally, you can expect to walk 3km in one hour if there are no excessive gradients. Four centimetres on a 1:25,000 map equals 1km (for quick measurement put three fingers sideways on the map – this equals roughly 4cm, which is 20mins walking). Appendix B gives a table of walk times.

Height Gain

When reading the walk details look carefully at the altitude gain. Extra altitude equals extra walking time, and steep gradients, whether up or down, can tire you if you are not used to it. Only a few walks in this book have a significant altitude gain; as a guideline, with a light rucksack (6–7kg) you should be able to climb 400m in one hour (250–300m with a weight of 15kg). The descent should be quicker, namely 500m in one hour. When walking, especially in southern climates, the heat and humidity will slow you down (see‘When to Go’).

Maps

Although each walk is accompanied by a sketch map it is recommended that you buy the listed 1:25,000 IGN maps, which are available in local shops. It is easier to buy them when you are in the region than to try to get hold of them in the UK. They cost around 9 euros (exchange rate is about 1.6 euros to £1 at the time of publication). Sometimes the local supermarkets sell them cheaper.

The numbers on each sketch map show key reference points, especially where there are major changes in walk direction, and correspond to a numbered section in the text. However, please read the instructions carefully, as there may be additional turnings that are not numbered but where the path is not clearly indicated, even on the IGN map. Unfortunately many IGN maps are out of date or inaccurate, and the jeep tracks and paths taken on the walks are not always shown.

Departure Point

In the text directions to the start of each walk (‘How to Get There’) are given from a specific town (Le Vigan or Florac). Where possible the walks start from points where there is a car park or good roadside parking.

Signposting

This gives an indication as to how well the walk is signposted and whether you are following a Grand Randonnée (long-distance footpath), a local path with its own different coloured splashes or wooden signposts.

If you see white and red horizontal paint splashes on your route you are on one of the Grandes Randonnées, which go all over France and are usually well maintained. Please remember that a cross instead of a splash (of the colour you are following) means that you are about to go in the wrong direction! Some of the local walks join these paths for a while and then break away to circle back to the starting point. Local walks have different coloured splashes, but in some areas these are rather arbitrary and can suddenly disappear for no reason. In others there are so many colours that one gets bewildered!

Many of the walks in the Cevennes region are newly signposted, and great strides have been made by the local tourist offices to make the walks clearer. However, it is a wild, remote area, so it is wise to stick to the signposting and splashes and not try to do shortcuts or take other paths indicated on the map – if you are lost you will meet few, if any, other people to ask directions from!

Observations

The initial italic paragraph in the walk description gives useful additional information, which might help the reader to decide whether he or she wishes to do the walk. It also includes historical background of the town or village the walk is starting out from, as well as anecdotes about the countryside or things of interest to be seen on the way.

Guidelines for Walking in the Cevennes

 Read the walk description carefully and look at the IGN map and the sketch map before you go.

 Make sure the walk is within the capacity of you and your companions.

 Give yourself plenty of time by setting off early. If a walk gives a time of 5 hours, allow at least 2 hours extra for looking at things, reading the walk description and eating.

 In the Cevennes, especially in the summer, you will need to take plenty of water and sunscreen – wear reliable sun glasses and a floppy hat.

 Never deviate from the marked path – if there is a short cut it is usually shown. If you are lost go back the way you came, if possible.

 If you are climbing be careful not to dislodge stones or boulders – they can gather momentum as they roll down the slope and hit other walkers.

 Never walk alone, even if you know the route, and always tell someone where you are going.

 Do not pass beyond any barrier indicating‘Proprieté Privée’unless the walk description indicates that this is permitted.

 Even if the day looks hot and fine take waterproof clothing, as the Cevennes often has sudden storms.

 Take your litter home with you. Do not pick the wild flowers but leave them for others to enjoy.

 Do not light matches or make a fire, and take particular care when it has been dry.

 Remember to shut all gates and barriers you go through.

 When walking on roads, face oncoming traffic. Remem­ber that in France this means on the left-hand side of the road.

Travelling to the Cevennes

The official French Tourist office in the UK is:

Atout France, Lincoln House, 300 High Holborn

London WClV 7JH

Tel: 090 68 244 123 (60p per minute)

http://uk.franceguide.com

info.uk@franceguide.com

They will answer enquiries and send information and brochures.

By car

It is not possible to reach many of the walks in this book without a car. If you arrive by train or air and want to hire a car, all the major hire firms operate from stations and airports. Information about rental can be obtained from your local travel agency.

If you take your own car, the easiest route to the Cevennes is to take the motorway via Reims, Dijon and Valence, which avoids the traffic around Paris. To reach the Cevennes exit at No. 19 (direction Pont St Esprit) and take the N86 to Bagnols followed by the D6 to Alès. From Alès you take the N106 to Florac (northern Cevennes) or follow signs to Le Vigan (southern Cevennes). Another option is to continue on the motorway to Nîmes and take the N106 through Alès to Florac or the D999 to Le Vigan.

The motorways are refreshingly empty in France compared to Britain, except on some busy holiday weekends, and have excellent stopping areas. However, there are motorway tolls to pay, which can add considerably to the cost of motoring. For route planning: www.viamichelin.com.

By Rail

For information on travelling by rail contact:

Rail Europe Ltd, 34 Tower View, Kings Hill, Kent ME19 4ED

(UK representative for all SNCF and continental rail travel)

There are 5 departures per day to Montpellier which is the nearest station to the Cévennes.

For online booking: www.raileurope.co.uk. For information about rail travel from the UK to France: www.seat61.com/France.htm.

The river in the centre of Florac

By Air

The nearest airports to the Cevennes region are Nimes (for Florac) and Montpellier (for Le Vigan). It takes about an hour to drive to Le Vigan from Montpellier.

For information on flights and times contact: www.ryanair.com, www.easyjet.com and www.britishairways.com.

When to Go

The Cevennes, because of its geographical diversity, has a much more extreme climate than its neighbour Provence.

The high mass of the Mont Aiguoul is the most southern part of the Massif Central and creates a barrier between the Mediterranean climate to the south (around Le Vigan) and the more rigorous climatic conditions further north. It catches the high winds and cloud coming off the Mediterranean and has one of the highest rainfalls in France – winter can be bitterly cold and snowy. Further north, around Florac and the Mont Lozère, the climate is more continental – hot in summer and cold in winter.

The best time to go is in the spring, early summer or autumn; for the southern area April and May can be glorious and the best time to see the spring flowers, but you run the risk of a certain amount of rain, especially in the narrow Cevennes valleys, where it can be quite intense.

If you travel to the Mont Aigoual and the Lozère region in May there are carpets of alpine flowers, but be prepared for colder weather. June and early July are usually pleasant, as are September and October, when you get the extensive autumnal colouring.

The summers are usually hot and dry, especially on the upland plains, where there is little shade for walkers and no water; in the Mont Lozère region there may be irritating flies in the wooded areas. Mid-July to August is the height of the tourist season, and anywhere in France should be avoided!

Do not attempt to visit the northern Cevennes in the winter months unless you want to cross-country ski!

Accommodation

Although the Cevennes is a tourist area and does offer hotels, gîtes, bed and breakfast establishments and a wide range of camping sites, it must be remembered that the villages and towns are widely dispersed, so the choice of places is limited. It does not have as many places at the top end of the market as you would find, for example, in Provence.

The walker has the advantage that it is really too hot to walk in July and August when most places are full and the camping sites are cheek by jowl. It is much easier to find accommodation in May, June, September and October, when there are fewer people about and prices are lower. It is always advisable to book in advance, though this is not essential.

Hotels in France are typically less expensive than in England and are great value – the only things missing are the tea-making facility in the bedroom and, of course, the hearty breakfast – you pay extra for this in a French hotel. Most rooms have en-suite bathroom or shower and WC. The choice is wide, and below are some recommended hotel chains.

Logis de France: This is a nationwide network of hotels which offers comfortable accommodation and excellent food at reasonable prices. The hotels are graded from one to three star according to their degree of comfort (look for the distinctive logo which consists of a yellow fireplace on a green background). For information on the Logis de France hotels in the Cévennes area look under the section Languedoc-Roussillon on the website www.logis-de-france-languedoc-roussillon.com.

Campanile Hotels: These tend to be on the outskirts of towns rather than in villages. They are usually modern and impersonal, catering more for the family market rather than the discerning tourist. For a list of hotels visit www.campanile.com.

Châteaux and Independent Hotels: If you want to go up-market there is a book published with a list of lovely looking châteaux (often with the owners acting as hosts) and independent hotels available all over France. There is a description in English and a photo of each establishment. Prices of the rooms and meals are clearly marked. Some of them are not at all expensive for what they offer! For further information visit their website: www.chatotel.com.

Gîtes de France: Very popular with the English, these are country cottages which are available for a weekly rent all over the French countryside and are good value. They can vary from extremely comfortable to quite basic so read the explanation beside the photo carefully! It is a good idea to pick an area of the book that appeals to you and then rent a gîte in a central position for the walks indicated.

For a list of gîtes in the Cévennes area visit their website: www.gitesdefrance.fr and look for the section‘Languedoc Roussillon’.

Gîtes d’étape: These are youth hostels of a particular type, usually without a warden, but open to people of all ages. They can be reasonably comfortable with good beds, showers and a well-equipped kitchen, but they can also be quite basic and are mainly intended for cheap overnight stops by walkers and cyclists. If you prefer not to cook your own meals there is often a café/restaurant in the vicinity.

In the high season they can be uncomfortably full, but are a wonderful way to get to know fellow-travellers and share a convivial evening. Out of season you often have the place to yourself. The only snag is that you may have to hunt for the person responsible in the village or nearby (usually posted on the door) to get access to the gîte.

For a list of gîtes d’étape in the Cévennes area visit the website www.gitesdefrance.fr.

Chambres d’Hotes: This is the French equivalent of bed and breakfast, though often the breakfast is not included or, if it is, is limited to coffee and bread (croissants if you are lucky). The number of these establishments is increasing all over France (look for the Chambre d’Hôte sign or enquire in the local café or shop).

The degree of comfort varies tremendously, and, unlike in British establishments, you will rarely get a TV or beverage-making facility in your room. Most rooms have their own shower/toilet, but you could be sharing with the family.

For a list of Chambres d’hotes in the region visit the website www.gitesdefrance.fr.

Camping: The Cevennes region is particularly favoured with camping sites, especially in the Gorges du Tarn area. Camping sites are graded from one to five star, and range from those offering a shop, hot showers and a swimming pool to sites providing only basic washing facilities.

Camping à la ferme is cheap and popular, though the facilities are minimal – remember some toilets in France, especially on camping sites, are still of the squat variety!

The local tourist offices (see Appendix C) have a complete list of camping sites. Most of them speak English and will gladly send the information. Visit the website www.gitesdefrance.fr which also publishes a list of camping sites.

Clothing and Equipment

When you think of southern France you imagine that the sun never stops shining and it is always agreeably warm in summer and winter. This is not the case in the Cevennes, which has a harsher climate and more defined seasons. In spring and autumn it can get cold and rainy, and in the summer it can be unbearably hot, especially on the Causses (high plateaux) where there is little shade.

The best solution is to dress in light layers and, even if the weather looks good, take a windproof jacket; choose the breathable type to avoid getting hot and sweaty. When the sun shines the rays are more intense than in Britain, so sun protection is important, as is a shady hat. The type of trousers which zip down into shorts are very practical as on many of the walks there are prickly gorse and broom bushes which scratch bare legs.

The most suitable footwear for walking in the Cevennes is a lightweight pair of sturdy boots with plenty of ankle support and soles that grip well on rocky terrain.

As none of the walks described is long, a light- or medium-weight rucksack is quite adequate. An outside strap for a water bottle is useful in this region, where you must take lots of water. It is wise to carry a compass and altimeter, provided you know how to use them! They are not essential for these walks, but can be helpful in bad weather. A mobile telephone is also useful, but note that they do not work in all areas of the Cevennes.

The following is a suggested list of essentials for your rucksack for a day’s walk:

 map as stipulated on the walk description

 compass

 basic first aid kit including insect repellent

 survival blanket (useful if you get lost or hurt)

 high-factor sun cream and lip salve

 sun hat and sunglasses

 woolly hat and gloves (winter only)

 glucose tablets and/or chocolate (useful if your energy flags)

 Swiss Army knife with as many attachments as possible

 waterproof cape or poncho which goes over everything including your rucksack (useful when pouring with rain and for sitting on)

 lightweight sweater

 lightweight wind and waterproof jacket

 water bottle – note it is essential to take lots of water if the weather is hot; do not drink from streams or dubious village fountains

 picnic (buy a crusty baguette at the local bakery before you set off and eat it with fresh cheese or ham – much nicer than sandwiches!).

Optional extras include: altimeter, camera, binoculars, mobile phone and reference books.

Flowers and Vegetation

Due to the different geographical and geological areas of the Cevennes, the flora is very diverse and many species are endemic to the region. The Causses are limestone, and the water drains away into underground grottos and rivers. The upland regions of the Mont Aigoual and Lozère are shist and granite, with plenty of water, where temperatures in winter and summer are extreme. The southern Cevennes has a Mediterranean climate.

The leafy Arre valley around Le Vigan is where spring arrives first, with flowers such as primroses, violets, periwinkles, snowdrops, crocuses and daffodils making their appearance long before the snow has left the upland heights of the Aigoual and Lozère – in June and July the slender catkins and white flowers of the chestnut trees which cover many of the hillsides are very attractive. This is an area with a southern flavour, and up to 500m the Mediterranean vegetation prospers. The air is alive with the smell of herbs such as thyme, and there are clumps of blue flax and aphyllanthes. There are various species of evergreen trees, such as the kermes oak (often called scrub oak, with prickly leaves), holm oaks, (which have glazed, water-retaining leaves), juniper bushes, boxwood and species of pine. Higher up are the chestnut forests (see Introduction, ‘The Chestnut Industry’).

On the summit of the Rochers de la Tude (Walk 4) are stately asphodel lilies and tall white heather in May. Here the difference in vegetation between the northern and southern slopes is quite marked – the south smelling of herbs and creamy rock roses, while the north is colder, with species of orchids, the charming blue columbines (aquilegia) and, lower down, the yellow laburnum trees.

Up to an altitude of 1000m the Mont Aigoual is covered in trees (see Introduction, ‘Southern Cevennes’, for an explanation of the reforesting of the area). It is a young forest consisting of pines and beech, and is often rather dark; this prohibits the growth of many varieties of flowers, with the exception of the white wood anemones which cover the slopes in early spring while the trees are still in bud. However, in the open glades you can find different species of crane-bill, amongst others, and the beautiful pink martagon lily which flowers in July. In a boggy area on the Cascades d’Orgon walk (Walk 16) the author was excited to see for the first time fragile looking, hairy-stemmed orange tulips. There is also a species which is rare outside the high Cevennes, called Arabette des Cevennes, which looks rather like a species of sweet pea. It flowers in the summer on riverbanks.

The higher grassy slopes of both the Aigoual and Mont Lozère have carpets of daffodils, narcissi, hairy anemones and crocuses in the early spring, and even in the Alps I have never seen so many varieties of orchids, sometimes covering whole fields. Later tall yellow gentians, arnica, pink willow herb, blue monkshood and various species of daisy replace them, but in many places the sheep have cropped the grass clean.

Above 1500m both mountains, but particularly Mont Lozère, are covered in heather, myrtle bushes, gorse and broom; in some areas, peat bogs hosts their own species of feathery grasses and delicate white wind flowers.

The vegetation that has grown swiftly in the last 50 years is broom – the dense bushes cover the slopes in June with their yellow flowers and peculiar smell. For many Cevenese this brash yellow symbolises the gradual decay of the region, as it grows on the slopes which were once used for pasturing cattle and sheep – now, with the huge flocks disappearing, the persistent broom has taken over, and the only way to get the land back to pasture is to burn the bushes.

Village of Les Bondons (Walk 18)

The stony nooks and crannies of the limestone causses and gorges turn into flowery rock gardens as the pink moss campion, the creamy rock roses, white saxifrage and blue violets create a kaleidoscope of colour. Lichens and mosses cling to the more vertical slopes of the gorges. The causses have their own species of white potentilla and also an orchid called Ophrys d’Aymonin, which resembles a fly orchid – hunted for unsuccessfully by the author! Often used as barometers and attached to doors of houses, because their flowers open and shut according to the humidity, are the huge Carline thistles which grow on the upland steppes; unfortunately they are so often picked that they are becoming rare. The only bushes that survive the onslaught of the herds of sheep are the prickly blackthorn (sloe bushes), which tend to circle the shallow water-filled depressions called lavagnes.

If you want to discover orchids then walk up the rocky Gorges du Tarn (Walks 21 and 22) in May when it has just rained – the author saw more species in one day than ever before, including red and white helleborines, purple broomrape, birdsnest orchid and the rare spiky lizard orchid.

Suggested books: Mediterranean Wild Flowers by Marjorie Blaney and Christopher Grey-Wilson (Harper Collins). This is a complete guide with over 2000 illustrations. It includes illustrations of the different pines and deciduous trees to be found in the southern area.

Flore du Parc National des Cévennes – obtainable at the park shop in Florac (French only). Lots of photos of the flora to be found in the national park and on the Causses.

Wildlife

The Cevenese people have always been great hunters and probably needed to be in order to survive. The new ecology movement has been slow to get off the ground amongst the older farmers, though an awareness of the need for conservation is growing amongst the younger generation.

With the setting up of the Cevennes National Park in 1970, certain species have been reintroduced to the area, such as the Grand Tetras (capercaillie) (see Mont Lozère walk), the mouflon (a type of sheep originating from Corsica), black woodpecker and the bald-headed vultures on the edge of the Causse. As all the animals are protected the numbers of deer, mountain hares, badgers, foxes, squirrels, pine martens and wild boar have increased, as have birds such as owls, thrushes (once trapped) and woodpecker.

Wolves have, as yet, not been reintroduced, probably because of the flocks of sheep, but in the 17th century a certain wolf became a legend. The Beast of Gévaudan, as it was called, took a liking for the tender flesh of young girls and killed over 50 people, striking terror to the whole region before being shot by a local hunter.

Weathervane in Pompidou village(Walk 28)

On the windswept Causses I have seen hares, weasels, stoats and small deer, though there seems precious little for them to eat and very little cover. There is a wide variety of bird life; you can hear the larks and the cries of the pipits and see the hawks hovering overhead. On the cliffs surrounding the gorges are birds of prey such as buzzards, eagles and the bald-headed vultures, the latter recently introduced – it is a moving experience to watch these enormous birds with a tremendous wingspan floating, seemingly effortlessly, round and round in the thermal currents like a crowd of paragliders! There are also swifts, swallows and crows; by the river banks are kingfishers, dippers, wagtail and inoffensive grass snakes which live off the fish.

On the lower slopes on the Mediterranean side of the Cevennes, where it is hotter and drier, one is frequently alerted to rustling in the undergrowth. This could be attributed to the thousands of tiny lizards, which abound everywhere, a grass snake or a viper, which are rarely seen, or one of the huge iridescent green lizards which at 60cm long are the largest in Europe. The air is alive with the rasping noise of the crickets and other insects. One of the more fascinating is the preying mantis, which does look as though it is praying but has the reputation of eating its mate!

But the most curious creature I have seen in the Cevennes was when I was walking round the Mont Lozère in the pouring rain; suddenly at my feet slithering across the path were four lizard-like creatures, black with big bright yellow spots. These are called spotted salamanders, and they only come out when it is raining hard, normally preferring to rest in swamps and ponds.