Aven-Armand
Massif de l’Aigoual
Gorges du Tarn
Chaos de Montpellier le Vieux
Gorges de la Jonte
Dargilan, the pink cave
Grands Causses Natural Regional Park
Cévennes National Park
The vulture lookout
Viaduc de Millau
American Buffalos in Randals Farm
Przewalski Horses
Abîme de Bramabiau
Situation
Meyrueis is a mid-mountain village of 800 inhabitants, which is located South of the department of Lozère, South of Central Massif, Occitanie region (Languedoc-Roussillon). The nearest departments neighboring Meyrueis are Gard and Aveyron. The department of Lozère is the least densely populated, with 75 000 inhabitants. Meyrueis is located between Mount-Aigoual (South) and Causse Méjean (North), between the Cévennes and the Causses. The village is also at the crossing of three rivers (Jonte, Brèze and Béthuzon), at the beginning of the Gorges de la Jonte, and 25km from the Gorges du Tarn. Altitude varies between 675m in the valley and 1567m at the top of Mount Aigoual.
An exceptional diversity of flora and fauna is present on this territory which offers changing landscapes. Some of them are even subject to protections as part of Natura 2000 European Program. Fauna is omnipresent with a large variety of wild animals: animals of the forest (deers, hinds, wild boars…), raptors (vultures, eagles…), as well as the Przewalski wild horses. The great time of speleology started here with Edouard-Alfred Martel, who is seen as the foundator of modern speleology (Bramabiau, Dargilan, Aven-Armand).
The area is in the middle of the Cévennes National Park, which is an exceptional environmental space and the only inhabited national park in France. In 2011, the Causses and the Cévennes was added to the UNESCO world heritage list, as “Mediterranean agro-pastoral cultural landscapes”.
This unique and exceptional natural environment, where tourism started in 1893, is the starting point of many very popular activities.
Sporting activities less than 30km
-Hiking
Meyrueis is the ideal starting point for any type of hikes : from small walks in family, to climbing Mount-Aigoual.
The great pilgrimage walk of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert goes through Meyrueis (a 300km walk starting from Aubrac, going through the Gorges du Tarn, the Cévennes National Park and the Cirque of Navacelles, and ending in Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert/Hérault Department)
Hiking guide books (around Meyrueis) are available at the reception desk.
-Water sports
Canoe, kayak, rafting and paddle in the Gorges du Tarn
Canyoning (Gorges de la Dourbie, Tapoul)
Public swimming-pool (300 meters from our holiday park)
Swimming in rivers
-Cycling / Mountain bike
-Climbing (Gorges de la Jonte & Gorges du Tarn )
Almost 700 climbing routes, 50 less than 5 minutes from Meyrueis
Level : from 3 to 8C+, from 10 to 130 meters
Guide book: topo-tarn-jonte-dourbie.info
-Via ferrata
Rental and guide : lesartsduvide.com
Tapoul – Rousses viaferrata-fr.net
Rochefort – Florac viaferrata-fr.net
Liaucous viaferrata-fr.net
Montpellier le Vieux viaferrata-fr.net montpellierlevieux.com
Boffi viaferrata-fr.net
Roqueprins – La Canourgue viaferrata-fr.net
-Speleology : great underground network of caves, for beginners or more experienced
–Motorbike trips
Also in Meyrueis, the riding school La Citerne (endurance-lozere.fr), thoroughbred Arab and endurance horses.
–Geocaching in Mount Aigoual
–Paragliding (in Millau), to discover the Gorges, the Causses or the Viaduc of Millau from the sky
– A 107m bungee jump in the Gorges du Tarn / Cirque des Baumes
–Tree climbing leisure center, in Aguessac (acroparc.fr)
–Glider, in Hures-la-Parade. Discovering flights or learning flying.
–Fishing
Sporting activities more than 30 km
Mende was chosen twice as the most sporting city in France! Each year, many international competitions take place in Lozère:
– The Trèfle Lozérien (motorbike, end of May)
– The Half-Marathon Marvejols-Mende (a 22.4km race, last weekend of July)
– The 160km of Florac (horse-riding)
– The Tour of Gévaudan (cycling)
– The Gévaudathlon (orienteering and nature raid)
– Cycling race Cycl’Aigoual
– Eiffage race of the Viaduc de Millau course-eiffage-viaducdemillau.org
– The Templiers (Trail)
– The Millau Marathon (100km)
– The route du Sel
– Mount-Aigoual – L’Esperou trail (first weekend of July)
Two great hiking roads nearby:
– Saint Jacques de Compostelle path
– Stevenson trail (near Florac)
Cultural activities less than 30 km
Saint Michel’s Fair: it exists since 1229. Come to live the effervescence of the day of valorisation of the local products and crafts, organized by the Brotherhood of the Sausage of grass and the Fricandeau. Every last Sunday in September, throughout the center of Meyrueis.
Festival of Opera of the South: attend the representation of the “Barber of Seville” in the magnificent setting of the Castle of Roquedols de Meyrueis (every day from 01 to 04 September, ).
Visit of farms and dairies: Many local professionals open their doors for births, milking or cheese making.
The Jonte Brexers : Visit of an artisanal brewery, brewing on the spot beers without dyes or preservatives, unfiltered, unpasteurized, this in the nice frame of the last mill that was active in the valley of Jonte, 6km
La Ferme Caussenarde d’Autrefois: Eco-museum that keeps the memory of the past and tells the lives of the inhabitants of Causse Méjean. From mid-March to the end of October, 15km.
Randals Buffalo: Visit on horseback or cart of a breeding of American buffalo, sorting of livestock, 17 km.
Przewalski horses: Specimens of these last wild horses in the world are grouped on the Méjean causse. In summer, 17km.
The Vautours House : Located in the heart of Gorges de la Jonte, where you can discover and admire wild vultures . from april to october, à 22km.
Interpretation trails: Know the Aigoual forest better, several trails are accessible all year round, the Serreyrède pass, 25 km away.
Meet the mouflon: Outings supervised by mountain guides from the territory: presentation of the species, history of the mouflon population of the Aigoual massif and observation hike of the mouflon in its natural habitat (in summer, a day by week, duration of 4 hours, paid exit, children over 7 years), col de la Serreyrède, 25 km.
Le Château de Peyrelade : Forteresse médiévale (XI-XVIè siècle), à 27 km. Visites de l’intérieur de mai à septembre. Toute l’année : balade agréable et beau point de vue.
Mont Aigoual weather forecast: Visit the last mountain meteorological observatory still active in France, at the top of the southern Cévennes. Museum, exhibition and entertainment from May to September, 31 km. Uninterrupted view in good weather.
The spa resort of Bagnols-les-Bains: Situated at the Mount Lozère and the sources of the Lot begins. Sprinkling from the mountain at a constant temperature of 41.5 ° C, the source for care is sulphurated, bicarbonated sodium, rich in fluorine and mineral salts, 76 km.
La Chaldette spa resort: It is located in the heart of Aubrac, on the banks of the river Bès, at 1000 m high, 98 km.
Villages to visit: Vébron (at 22km), Revens (at 22km), La Malène (at 24km), the Roc des Hourtous (at 25km), the Hauterives at 27km and the Saint Enricie at 30km at 33km).
In the commune of Meyrueis you can discover the Dargilan cave (9km), and in the neighboring villages: Aven Armand (12km), Chaos de Nimes le Vieux (16km), l’Abîme of Bramabiau (at 20km), and the Chaos of Montpellier the Vieux (at 33km).
Cultural activities at 30 km and more
Sainte-Eulalie European buffalo reserve: A reserve that allows Buffalo to live in semi-freedom on two hundred hectares. Living in the wild only in northern Europe, these buffalo were reintroduced into Margeride, 100 km away.
Roquefort : The visit of cellars is possible throughout the year to know more about this famous cheese and its village of origin, to 68 km.
Millau Bridge: This cable-stayed bridge, the result of technological prowess, holds the world record in height and fits perfectly into a natural landscape, 55 km away.
Micropolis : A playful and educational park to discover the insects, 50km.
Le Vallon du Villaret : A nature park, invented by artists, which proposes a poetic adventure by mixing games, art and nature, to 75km.
The Gévaudan Wolves: A natural park of about twenty hectares in which live more than 100 wolves of Siberia, Mongolia, Poland and Canada, at 76km.
Le Point Sublime : point of view on the Gorges du Tarn, 42km.
Villages to visit: Saint Laurent de Trèves (34km), Barre des Cévennes (35km), Castelbouc (37km), Saint Rome de Dolan (at 38km), Bédoues (at 39km), Montbrun at 40km, Quezac 46km), Ispagnac (at 47km), Chanac (at 50km), Marvejols (at 70km).
Services
Markets: all year round, every Wednesday morning, under the hall. On Wednesdays between June 15 and September 15, the markets take place on Place André Chamson.
A dozen restaurants offer in season a gourmet palette of products of the region.
Meyrueis is ideally situated to visit the following 4 sites :
Mont-Aigoual 1567m
Mont Aigoual – Observatory and its meteorological exhibition
Abyss of Bramabiau (underground river)
Lake Camprieu
Gorges du Tarn and gorges de la Jonte
Quézac
Blajoux
Sainte-Enimie
La Malène
Les Vignes
Le Rozier
Gorges de la Jonte
Belvédère of vultures
Millau Bridge (40km from Meyrueis)
Gorges of Dourbie, Trévezel et Tapoul
Cévennes - Cévennes National Park
Roquedols Castle at Meyrueis
Cévennes Cornice
Florac
Grands Causses
Causse Méjean
Causse Noir
Aven-Armand
Dargilan, The pink cave
Chaos de Montpellier le Vieux
Nîmes le Vieux
Randals Buffalo reserve
Przewalski Horses
à Hyelzas, an 18th century farmhouse, carefully restored
La Canourgue Golf course (30km from Meyrueis)
Roquefort cellars (70km from Meyrueis)