Hiking between Margeride and Gevaudan
Due to its strategic railway location, La Bastide-Puylaurent remains a highly convenient starting and returning point in the northeast of Lozère, right at the border of Ardèche. It is a peaceful vacation spot set on the scenic banks of the Allier river, just 3 km from the renowned Abbey of Notre Dame des Neiges. The village sits beautifully at the crossroads of several major hiking routes: the GR®70 Stevenson Path, the GR®700 Voie Régordane, the GR®7, and the GR®72.
You can easily reach it by a direct train from Paris via Clermont-Ferrand or from Marseille via Nîmes, traveling on the famous "Cévenol" line. From the welcoming village of La Bastide-Puylaurent, we will head directly south, closely following the ancient route of the Arvernes, widely known as the Voie Régordane or St. Gilles Path, which here shares its track with the GR®72.
Along the way, we soon encounter the fascinating Palet of Gargantua, a massive stone he supposedly threw in the nearby village of Thort. It is, in fact, an impressive ancient dolmen table. As for the Voie Régordane: "Reg" traditionally means river, and "ourdan" refers to a line or path. It took many centuries before the evocative name "Régordane" was broadly generalized to this entire path, stretching from the sunny Languedoc all the way up to Auvergne.
The sky gradually becomes vaster, the earth too, and the colors noticeably purer. To the east rise the stunning peaks of Vivarais, while to the west lie the imposing heights of Mont Lozère and the rugged slopes of the Goulet. It is a striking land of bright yellow broom and deep purple heather. Soon, we spot La Garde-Guérin in the distance, its sturdy walls and defensive tower proudly standing in the barren desert landscape.
La Garde-Guérin, a remarkably preserved small fortified village perched high on the heath, stands perfectly flat amidst the vastness. At the quiet entrance to the medieval village, a simple stone cross facing the sweeping plateau solemnly welcomes every traveler.
In a historic text written in the 12th century in late Latin, one can clearly read: "castrum quod vocatur la Garda", meaning the stronghold called La Garde. It is not exactly known when the specific name Guérin was officially added to the name La Garde. It is, however, generally believed that the prominent lords who first settled in La Garde during the 12th century were from the Guérin family. "Guérin" was indeed a very common surname among the three powerful baronies of Randon, Apcher, and Tournel.
The deep-rooted existence of the Guérin family is officially attested in a donation act made to the Abbey of Gellone (today Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert) dated exactly to 1054. It was a Guérin from the Tournel lineage who took full charge of this strategic castle, officially becoming its lord. The Tournel family was indeed solidly established nearby in Villefort and possessed highly significant influence in La Garde.
The powerful Lords of Tournel were the absolute masters of Mont Lozère and parts of Sauveterre. They held crucial garrisons in several strategic points and soon turned their full attention to this highly unique access route connecting the Mediterranean South directly to the Central Massif. At the time, merchants avoided passing along the banks of the Rhône, which consistently remained a fiercely guarded and heavily taxed border.
The high, imposing square tower is the very last majestic vestige of the feudal castle that once utterly dominated the village and the dizzying gorges of the Chassezac. The ancient road of the Arvernes, clearly marked by its border of large granite blocks, still lies peacefully at the foot of La Garde-Guérin. From the 11th century onwards, La Garde-Guérin emerged as an incredibly strategic place where the Knights "Pariers", firmly united in equal rights and strict duties, shared both the hospitality and the lucrative toll revenues levied on the ancient Voie Régordane.
By 1965, La Garde-Guérin was an almost entirely abandoned village, where only a few remaining farmers bravely struggled to survive. However, there was a truly rich, invaluable architectural heritage begging to be preserved. It was entirely possible to faithfully restore this unique village and actively recreate a viable economic and social living environment. Thanks to the dedicated Architecture Directorate in Paris, La Garde-Guérin was officially selected as a vital pilot village and subsequently benefited from highly significant restoration grants.
Perhaps the most beautiful image of La Garde-Guérin is closely tied to the Château du Roure. "Everything is very beautiful on this limitless heath, which releases the blue mountains"... This is the "castle of the soul or inner castle", a poignant reference to the profound book written by Saint Teresa of Avila.
The Château du Roure is merely a stone's throw away from La Garde-Guérin as the crow flies. But it is dramatically separated by the jagged, incredibly deep, and highly spectacular Gorges of the Chassezac as the river winds its violent course towards Ardèche.
This spectacular area offers numerous loop walks, refreshing swimming spots, thrilling canyoning, and excellent climbing. A major tributary of the Ardèche, the Chassezac violently cuts through incredibly deep granite gorges (up to 400 meters deep) right beneath the medieval village of La Garde-Guérin, situated in the Cévennes National Park, 35 km east of Mende and 40 km WSW of Aubenas.
Further south lies Villefort, a highly important village since the deepest Middle Ages. Settled at the foot of Mont Lozère at 580 meters in altitude, it is tightly wedged in the narrow valley of Devèze. In the 17th century, Villefort was heavily surrounded by thick ramparts, deep ditches, and fortified gates. One gate, that of Portalet, faced north, while the other, that of Clédon, faced south directly towards the rugged Cévennes.
The bustling village was actively crossed by the famous Régordane path. It has beautifully preserved a historic district known as "Castel-Vieil", featuring ancient houses, remarkable windows dating from the 14th and 16th centuries, and the sturdy 14th-century St. Jean bridge—all brilliant traces of past times. The city today is very peaceful, although perhaps a bit sleepy.
The old main street of Villefort vividly showcases characteristic houses of the unique architecture justly called "régordanne". Although it officially belonged to the Diocese of Uzès until the French Revolution, the rich history of Villefort was always deeply intertwined with that of Gévaudan. Froidour, a powerful high official under Colbert, came to personally inspect the Régordane path in 1668, and one can easily read in the historical writings of the time that Villefort occupied an incredibly strategic point between the bustling cities of Alès and Langogne.
The GR®68 seamlessly connects Villefort to Le Bleymard. This rugged mule path provides direct access from Villefort to the ancient capital of Gévaudan, Mende. As soon as you leave Villefort, the trail penetrates deeply into the wild Gévaudan. Sitting high on the very edge of Mont Lozère, it successively crosses Bergognon, Pomaret, and several other isolated hamlets before finally reaching Cubières.
Cubières is defined by its beautiful confluence with the Altier river, which takes its pure source high on Mont Lozère at 1,639 meters, describing numerous elegant meanders before violently flowing into the Chassezac at 350 meters in altitude. Sheltered on the green slopes of Mont Lozère, Cubières lives peacefully in the deep quiet of its valleys.
The area is rich in small heritage. The traditional ironworking profession, called "ferradou" in the local Occitan language, was a vital craft used to properly shoe oxen and cows. The blacksmiths would always shoe a solid pair of cattle accustomed to working seamlessly together to efficiently haul heavy timber or perform various demanding agricultural tasks. It stands as a moving witness to a beautifully non-mechanized past.
At the broad foot of Mont Lozère flourish magnificent deciduous oaks, elegant elms, and fragrant linden trees... The Mediterranean green oak, however, was historically not as close to Mont Lozère as it is today.
Hardworking men bravely cleared the Cévennes back in the Iron Age, and slightly later on our beloved Mont Lozère. It was precisely at the beginning of our era that these early men lost the small Arvernes bronzes, which modern scholars now use to carefully reconstruct the names or ancient monograms of prominent leaders like Epaenactus...
In the rugged Massif of Mont Lozère, one finds an architecture deeply linked to the very roots of the soil, perfectly integrated into the striking, windswept sites of the silent hamlets.
You can still spot massive stone chimney bases, featuring a heavy slate hat securely placed on 4 or 6 sturdy posts and topped with a huge stone to effortlessly withstand the fierce mountain wind. These beautiful details reflect brightly in the old roofs that green moss has slowly eaten away. Le Bleymard has solidly settled over time to commandingly guard the entrance to its beautiful, sweeping valley.
Le Bleymard, peacefully situated along the Combe Sourde stream, is truly one of those rare places where a man actively seeking rest and deep calm will effortlessly find those simple, profound joys that wild nature generously offers.
"From Bleymard, in the afternoon, although it was already late, I set out to conquer a corner of Lozère. A poorly defined stony cart path guided my walk. I encountered at least half a dozen ox-drawn carts descending from the woods, each loaded with a whole pine for winter heating." — Robert Louis Stevenson
From Bleymard, a former mining village of which very few traces stubbornly remain, one will ascend by a steep path deep into the dense Goulet forest massif to eventually reach the high hamlets of Les Bonnettes and Nathalie's welcoming lodging, "L'Escoutal".
"Before me opened a shallow valley and, behind, the chain of the Lozère mountains, partially wooded, with quite hilly slopes, yet overall with a dry and sad configuration. Hardly any signs of cultivation. However, around Bleymard, the road coming from Villefort via Altier to Bagnols-les-Bains and Mende crossed a series of meadows planted with tall poplars and everywhere resonated with the bells of sheep and herds. ...If the evening is beautiful and gentle, there is nothing better in life than to stroll in front of the door of the Inn..." — Robert Louis Stevenson.
In the sweeping vicinity of Belvezet, as far as the eye can comfortably see, there is an endless succession of high chains and rolling hills... "If you climb a hill, it is only to see new lines of more distant peaks. ...And now, you must ask yourself if, when all is done, you wouldn't be better off sitting at home by the fire and being happy thinking..." — Robert Louis Stevenson.
The journey beautifully ends at the quiet station of Belvezet and its historic railway connecting Mende directly to La Bastide-Puylaurent via Allenc, Belvezet, and Chasseradès. The line is very often blocked by massive snowdrifts in winter, and heavy protective tunnels had to be strategically built. It is an excellent, highly inexpensive means of transport, very pleasant and truly unique in France. You can also easily board the train with your bicycle. To make it stop, you must clearly signal your presence on the small platform with a big, friendly wave of your hand.
by M. Pasquier
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