La Loubière

8 points of interest

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  History

  Saint-Privat’s church

  Mentioned for the first time in 1258, Saint-Privat’s church seems to have been built between the 12th and the early 13th century. It was damaged during the French Wars of Religion, like many churches in the Gévaudan. Despite the many overhauls, its architecture is neat.

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  History

  Château

  The little château that you pass was built in the 17th century on the road from Florac to Bagnols. Its tower hides a handsome spiral staircase. For 59 years, this fortified building was the base of the mounted gendarmerie. The stables were on the ground floor. In 1966, the gendarmes moved into accommodation lower down in the village.

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  Flora

  Forest atmosphere

  You are walking through a wood where white oak, beech and whitebeam make harmonious neighbours, including some impressive specimens. Further on, Austrian pine predominates, being well-adapted to the schist bedrock, before giving way to fayards (beeches) again. Lower down, along the Rieu Frech brook, you can see firs whose long needles are bluer than other trees’ and point upwards like half-brushes: white or Colorado firs (Abies concolor). They were chosen for their ability to adapt to the local climate.

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  History

  Crosses

  This is one of the very many crosses to be found in Lozère, especially in the upper Lot valley. Cross makers, the best known of which is Jean du Born in the 17th century, worked with materials found in the region. For at least six centuries, crosses were erected along paths in Lozère to assume a variety of functions: limit or path markers, memorials, places of contemplation, calvary or pilgrimage site, event, expression of individual or village piety, etc. Over 400 survived the Wars of Religion and then the Terror that followed the French Revolution. The most recent crosses have, since the 19th century, been made of forged iron. Some of them have been fixed on older bases or tree boles.

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  Natural environment

  A mosaic of environments

  Marker 7
  The valley landscape unfolds before you, with pride of place given to the fir grove, the jewel of this area. The centenarian grove seduces the walker who is alert to its beauty and unity. The history of the valley continues with forest management that is as concerned with protection and production as ever, but which also increasingly integrates the scenic dimension and welcomes the public – joint preoccupations of the Office National des Forêts and the Cévennes National Park.

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  History

  Foresters' house

  The foresters' house of the Loubière valley is located mid-slope, but difficult to see amidst the vegetation. It was first occupied in the 13th century and has been home to the famous De Ligonnès family, one of whom married Marie-Sophie Lamartine, sister of the illustrious poet, in 1827. Since it was bought by the State in 1879, the building has become the private residence of the forest ranger responsible for the sector.

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  Geology

  Changing backdrops

  Marker 6
  From one slope to the next, from the valley floor to the ridge, the bedrock changes rapidly. This has repercussions for the soil composition and vegetation, and thereby for the landscape. Thus, opposite you, the limestone cap is occupied by European black pine, which is well-adapted to dry areas. Below that, the schist slope favours natural beech and Scots pine growth, and meets the requirements of the spruces planted by foresters on these deeper soils.

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  History

  La Loubière forester’s house

  The Château de La Loubière, recorded as far back as 1219, belonged to the barony of Le Tournel. It was originally built here to keep watch over the mediaeval roads going from Florac to Châteauneuf-de-Randon and from Florac to Bagnols-les-Bains. The building, bought by the French state in 1879, has become a forester’s house. It is not open to visitors. 

  From 1962 to 1964, not far from here, harkis (Muslim Algerian former soldiers in the French army) lived in a camp while working for the French water and forestry service (today the ONF, the French Forestry Office). Twenty-five families with some 30 children lodged there. They contributed to planting the forests that surround you and to maintaining La Loubière forest (which already existed) and the paths that crisscross it.