27.7km bike tour at La Bastide-Puylaurent
From L'Etoile, head toward the center of the village and follow the signs for Villefort until you reach the Pradillou roundabout. Turn right, then left onto the D573 for 9.2 km, passing through Les Fagoux, Nicoulaud, and the bridge over the Borne River. Take the small road on the left toward Ubac and follow it for 5.3 km. Turn left onto the D4, crossing the Ceytrou bridge over the Borne, and continue through Saint-Laurent-les-Bains. Stay on the D4, passing the Carte bridge, the Saint-Sauveur cross, the Col de Notre-Dame-des-Neiges, the Pradillou roundabout, and finally return to La Bastide-Puylaurent.
Distance: 27.7 kmThe Borne is a Cévennes river that rises in the Ardèche department at the Col de la Croix de Bauzon, before flowing into the Lozère department. It joins the Chassezac on the left bank, forming the boundary between Pied-de-Borne and Sainte-Marguerite-Lafigère. With its natural granite pools, the Borne is a true paradise for swimming.
The tower of Saint-Laurent-les-Bains, a stone sentinel, stands proudly on a rocky spur overlooking the village. Erected in the 9th century, it has withstood the test of time, its six stories preserved as a sanctuary by the villagers. Perched high above the Borne valley, the village is crowned by the granite majesty of the Trois-Seigneurs peak, whose slopes tumble down to the rooftops more than a hundred meters below, silently watching over the souls of the valley. The reputation of the Saint-Laurent-les-Bains thermal spa dates back to Roman times, celebrated for the therapeutic virtues of its 53°C (127°F) waters.
Founded in 1850 by Trappist monks from the Abbey of Aiguebelle, the Abbey of Notre-Dame-des-Neiges is situated at an altitude of 1,100 meters in the Ardèche mountains. It was conceived as a monastery dedicated to prayer, work, and silence. Early life at the abbey was harsh. The monks lived in Spartan conditions, working the land to support themselves while building their monastery stone by stone. However, their faith and perseverance were unshakeable. The abbey quickly became a place of pilgrimage and spiritual renewal for Catholics across the region. The beauty of the site, the rigor of the monastic life, and the monks' reputation for holiness continue to attract many visitors today.
Copyright©etoile.fr