The three hamlets

4 points of interest

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  Landscape

  The Causse landscape

  As you move uphill, and more generally throughout the walk, you will notice the impact of human activity on the landscape: drystone walls built to delimit plots and along paths; clapas (piles of stones) indicating the exits from fields and routes, etc. An emblematic element of the Causse landscape, dolines (or scotchs in Occitan) are small depressions with deep soils, in which grains and forage plants are grown.

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  Archaeology

  Protohistoric enclosure of Rode

  No lasting settlement of the plateau is known before this enclosure -only incursions by hunters following their prey. It was during the Iron Age that humans became sedentary. Soundings of the enclosure walls at Rode have revealed a dwelling with a hearth, ceramics and the contours of meals, including a large quantity of horse remains. The rectangular buildings seem to have backed onto the ramparts, leaving free space at the centre of the enclosure, possibly to shelter the livestock. The elliptical ramparts, 110 m long and 95 m wide, are originally believed to have been 4 m high.

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  History

  Le Buffre cross

  This is one of the oldest and most handsome crosses in Lozère. On its cylindrical pedestal (12th c.), which is set on three steps, two persons face each other on either side of a holy water basin representing a human face. The basin is carved into the pedestal and also projects from it. The more recent actual cross is believed to date from the 18th century. Le Buffre cross is one of many that dot the Saint Guilhem route, to both guide and encourage pilgrims. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

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  Architecture

  The church of Hures

  The church was founded in the 11th century by the Benedictine monks of Sainte-Enimie to expand their arable land. It was built in four stages:
  - The choir in the early and the nave in the late 12th century,
  - the right-hand chapel in the 14th century,
  - the left-hand chapel in the 18th century.
  Each enlargement of the building corresponded to an increase in the Causse population. The nave has a beautiful window. To the right of the entrance is a funereal recess, which probably belonged to a local dignitary and in which were deposited a number of bones removed from the buried body.