Pessades farm
Paysage sous Champerboux
Paysage sous Champerboux - nathalie.thomas
Gorges du Tarn Causses

Pessades farm

Agriculture and livestock farming
History and culture
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An outdoor exploration of traditional architecture and panoramic views over the Causse de Sauveterre and the mountains of the Aubrac.
Sheltered from the predominant winds, you walk on a draille (drovers’ road) through the very heart of the UNESCO World Heritage site. Limestone crosses adorned with the benefactor’s name dot the route like votive offerings.

3 points of interest

  • Croix de Champerboux
    Croix de Champerboux - nathalie.thomas
    History

    Crosses

    On this walk, you will see many ancient crosses. Each is unique and exists for different reasons. The iron cross with the sculpted pedestal in Champerboux is the oldest. It seems to have been linked to pilgrimages and more precisely to the network of routes leading to Santiago di Compostella. 
    In most cases, the presence of a cross is a reminder by the Church of Catholicism. Very often erected at crossroads, the crosses served as waymarks, showed the parish borders and signposted memorial sites or sites for contemplation.
  • La grande draille d'Aubrac
    La grande draille d'Aubrac - nathalie.thomas
    History

    The grande draille d’Aubrac (main Aubrac drovers’ road)

    Since they always took the same routes, the many herbivores that instinctively moved from the south to pasture land further north created a network of paths called drailles, which were subsequently used for transhumance (seasonal herded migrations).
    A part of your route is on a very old drovers’ road known as the grande draille d’Aubrac, which linked the hinterland of Montpellier with the Aubrac plateau. It was also used as a trade route between plains and mountains, giving access to the region’s fairs. 
  • Croix
    Croix - nathalie.thomas
    History

    Saint-Guilhem

    In the Middle Ages, the spread of Christianity encouraged an enthusiasm for religion. This route was used by crowds of pilgrims heading for the Abbey of Gellone, via Sainte-Enimie to see the saint’s relics. The route is currently a long-distance hiking trail linking Aumont-Aubrac and Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert in the Hérault. It is 240 km long, crosses 4 departments and offers exceptionally diverse scenery.

Description

Take the tarred road for 800 m towards La Périgouse.
1) Leave the road by turning left onto the second track by the cross of Rocoplan.
2) Go round a bend and continue straight ahead on the path that descends alongside the fence. 
3) At the bottom of the downhill slope, leave the track on the left.
4) By a fork near the road, turn left on the path that goes up on the ridge.
5) By the barrier, leave the path to take the track on the right. Cross the road and continue straight ahead.
6) At the crossroads, continue on the left, following the track uphill (former draille or drovers’ road).
7) Before you arrive at the top of the ridge, turn left onto a small path towards Pessades (waymarked yellow and red).
8) Cross the road and follow the path that runs alongside Pessades farm on the left.
9) 1 km after Pessades farm, turn right.
10) At the cross, go uphill to Champerboux, and, in the village, take the second road on the left to return to the car park.
  • Departure : Champerboux: on the road to La Périgouse
  • Arrival : Champerboux: on the road to La Périgouse
  • Towns crossed : Gorges du Tarn Causses

Forecast


Altimetric profile


Recommandations

Make sure your equipment is appropriate for the day’s weather conditions. Remember that the weather changes quickly in the mountains. Take enough water, wear sturdy shoes and put on a hat. Please close all gates and barriers behind you.

Information desks

Tourism'house and national Parc at Florac

Place de l'ancienne gare, N106, 48400 Florac-trois-rivières

https://www.cevennes-gorges-du-tarn.cominfo@cevennes-parcnational.fr04 66 45 01 14

This office is part of the National Park's associated tourist-information network, whose mission is to provide information on, and raise awareness of, the sites and events as well as the rules that must be observed in the National Park's central zone.

On site:  exhibitions, video projections, events and shop Open year-round

Find out more

Tourism office Cévennes Gorges du Tarn, Sainte-Enimie

village, 48210 Sainte-Enimie

https://www.cevennes-gorges-du-tarn.com/info@attractivite-tourisme-gcc.com04 66 45 01 14

This office is part of the National Park's associated tourist-information network, whose mission is to provide information on, and raise awareness of, the sites and events as well as the rules that must be observed in the National Park's central zone.

Find out more

Access and parking

From Sainte-Enimie, take the D986 towards Mende and, before the hamlet of Sauveterre, take the D44 towards Champerboux. As you leave the village, take the road on the left towards La Périgouse; the car park is 800 m further ahead.

Parking :

800 m towards La Périgouse

Calculateur d'itinéraire Lio

Pour information, certaines lignes de la région circulent uniquement en période estivale. Calculez votre itinéraire avec les horaires actualisés ci-dessous :

Autres régions

Calculez votre itinéraire en Auvergne Rhone Alpes sur Oùra


Source

Agence d'Attractivité Touristique Gorges Causses Cévenneshttp://www.cevennes-gorges-du-tarn.com
Parc national des Cévenneshttp://www.cevennes-parcnational.fr/

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