Villages and hamlets of the Heart of Lozère

Villages and hamlets

Surprising

It exists small heritage beads in the hamlets around Mende,
vestiges of the life & know-how of yesteryear
to discover and enjoy

©Four Pain Changefege 2

Hamlets around Mende

To the north
To the North-east
To the south-east
To the south
To the West

Chabrits / Chanteruéjols / Bahours / Le Mas

Bahours Castle is a fortified farm belonging to private owners.
It is located 5 km north of Mende towards Ribennes.
It can only be visited during Heritage Days, on the 3rd weekend of September (14th century kitchen, dining room with old Lozérien furniture, living room with 14th century fireplace, Louis Philippe library, etc.).
Phone: 04.66.65.05.63

To see also:

Fountain and ferradous at the Mas
The wash house of Chabrits

All the information to know to discover these 4 hamlets.

Badaroux / St Martin du Born / Le Born / La Rouvière / Pelouse.

This area located more exactly in the North-East of Mende marks the transition between the Limestone and the Granite.
You will find beautiful and varied landscapes as well as a small and numerous heritage in very good state of conservation, such as the famous crosses of Jean du Born, ferradous (apparatus/appliances for shoeing oxen), fountains, bread ovens, …

* La « Toto » : pagan statue (Gallic or Gallo-Roman) of granite located in the village of Born and representing a god with a mallet.
The locals nickname her the Toto which means “simple woman”.
Free and open access. More information on the Toto

* The Church of la Rouvière (XII-th century), small Romanesque church classified as historical monuments. Composed of a single nave, the vault is adorned with a superb mural depicting a tetramorph. It is a wonder of sobriety.
Please note, the church is closed except for religious services. Church visits organized occasionally during the year, get information from the Pays d’Art et d’histoire Mende & Lot en Gévaudan, Phone : 00 33 (0)4 66 31 27 39 • 00 33 (0)6 42 57 93 09 – Web : http://www.pah-mende-et-lot.fr

The Valdonnez

The Valdonnez plain bordered to the North and to the West by the Causses de Mende, Causse de Changefège and Causse du Sauveterre, dominated to the East and to the South by the Mont-Lozère, is a fertile bocage land.

The whole valley, which offers a puzzle of meadows flooded with light, bears the traces of a very ancient human occupation.

The numerous megaliths and tumuli attest to a human presence very early in history.
The Gallo-Roman mausoleum of Lanuéjols confirms the early settlement of a population in this fertile part of Gévaudan/ Lozère.

A large part of this territory is classified as a Natura 2000 Zone (protected area).

Vue sur le Valdonnez et le Truc de Balduc

Lanuéjols

It is a village marked by its history: its name, of Celtic origin, would mean «the clearing sanctuary». There are vestiges of the Gallo-Roman and Middle Ages.

The Gallo-Roman Mausoleum of Lanuéjols (listed as a Historic Monument since 1840)
In the Roman world, mausoleums are large tombs erected by the wealthy classes.
The one in Lanuéjols was built by Julius Bassianus, owner of a large estate, in memory of two of his deceased sons.
Listed as a historical monument since 1840, it was built at the end of the 3rd century or even at the beginning of the 4th century, the site has been the subject of numerous excavation campaigns which have brought to light a second building. Free visit.

Note: the Gallo-Roman mausoleums of Lanuéjols and Saint-Rémy-de-Provence are the only two known examples in France. More info about the Mausoleum

The Romanesque church of Saint-Pierre de Lanuéjols.
Built in the 12th century and enlarged in the 14th century, it is made of tuff (friable limestone rock) and local limestone. It had an octagonal bell tower before the revolution.
Listed as a historical monument since 1929.
Free and open tour.

Le château du Boy.
The castle of the Boy.
Residence of the lords of Tournel in the 14th century, it was partly destroyed during the first wars of religion and then rebuilt during the Renaissance.
Today it is a specialized health center. You can also contemplate, at the entrance of the castle, a menhir (standing stone).

Visits organized occasionally during the year, check with the Pays d’Art et d’histoire Mende & Lot en Gévaudan – Phone : 00 33 (0)4 66 31 27 39 • 00 33 (0)6 42 57 93 09.
Site Web : http://www.pah-mende-et-lot.fr

Saint-Bauzile

The village of Falisson on the Causse de Sauveterre is a pretty little hamlet with the characteristics of the Caussenard habitat (traditional house and bread oven) as well as a nearby lavogne.
It should be noted that the then at the entrance to the village dates from the Gauls!

The ruins of the Montialoux castle:
built in the 12th century, this fortress could watch over the entrance to the valley, control the rise of Montmirat and communicate with the other castles of the lords of Tournel.

The Romanesque church of Saint-Bauzile (14th century).

A large part of this territory is classified as a Natura 2000 Zone (protected area).

Balsièges

The Village of Balsièges, at the confluence of the Bramont and Lot rivers, marks the northwest entrance to the Valdonner plain.
The “Lion of Balsièges“, a stone rock which dominates the village, has been nicknamed that way for a very long time because it has the appearance of a lying lion.

The dolmen of Changefège:
La Lozère is the second megalithic site in France. Even on the Causse de Changefège, there are several.
Signposted path and free and open site visit.
If you are interested in the sites of Mégalithes, you will probably be impressed by the sites of the dolmens and menhirs of the causse of Sauveterre and the alignment of menhirs of the Bondons on Mont-Lozère.

The chapel and the hermitage Saint-Chaoussou:
The first occupation of this cave dates back 2500 years BC,
it was then converted into a chapel.
A hermitage, now in ruins, was then added to the building. Marked path and free visit of the site (attention, steep and slippery path).

Barjac

The village of Barjac is located at the confluence of the Lot and Ginèze rivers, between Mende and Chanac below the Causse de Changefège.
In 1856, torrential rains fell all over the country and a landslide occurred below the village of Cénaret, taking with it the hamlet of Fouriès.

At the initiative of the priests of the parish, a statue of Our Lady of Cénaret was erected to protect the village. (attached photo).

The surroundings close to Barjac are classified as Special Conservation Area within the framework of Natura 2000 projects.