The Nîmes-le-Vieux blockfield, a ruin-like site at the heart of the Cévennes National Park in the north-eastern part of Causse Méjean near Fraissinet-de-Fourques and Perjuret Pass, forms an unusual landscape with its strangely shaped, fantastical dolomite rocks, sculpted by erosion for several thousands of years. Between L'Hom and Gally, a 4.5 km educational trail dotted with interpretation signs invites you to discover the wonders of this mysterious territory!

As well as the walks, you can also see a geological exhibition about the Causse in the hamlet of Veygalier.

Located in Causse Noir, in the commune of Meyrueis, the pink cave of Dargilan is famous for its varied concretions and is the biggest cave in the Causses and the Cévennes. In a kilometre-long maze of underground passages, discover a multitude of stalactites, stalagmites, columns and draperies in superb colours, from the big blockfield chamber to the bell tower chamber, through the big petrified waterfall... A magical world!

At the heart of the Causse Méjean, near to Meyrueis in the commune of Hures-la-Parade, the Aven Armand cave, discovered in 1897 by Louis Armand, Martel's second-in-command, has a forest of over 400 stalagmites in its immense underground chamber! This exceptional group includes the Grand Stalagmite, which stands 30 metres tall and is the biggest known stalagmite in the world today!

At the heart of the Grands Causses region, on the Lozère-Aveyron border between Causse Méjean and Causse Noir, the River Jonte springs forth in the Mont Aigoual massif and runs through a region that's both wild and spectacular. Between Meyrueis and Le Rozier, follow the gorges road, a superb itinerary of around twenty kilometres, dotted with picturesque hamlets like Le Truel and La Caze, and overlooked by a multitude of cliffs and limestone dolomite rocks. An impressive canyon, whose countless cavities are a favourite spot for griffon vultures, a protected species reintroduced to this area in the 1980s. You can sit and watch them from the belvedere at the Vulture House in Saint-Pierre-des-Tripiers...

On the activities side of things, fans of outdoor pursuits can choose from rock climbing, fishing and hiking!

Mount Aigoual in the Cévennes National Park is the second highest peak in the Cévennes, standing 1,567 metres high. Its peak is exposed to extreme weather conditions and has a weather observatory, which is remarkable for being the only weather station in Europe to still be inhabited.

Walkers can enjoy a magnificent view of the Cévennes and the Causses, and on a clear day the Alps, the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean, from the observatory's orientation table. As well as this vast panoramic view, they can also discover an exhibition about meteorology and Mount Aigoual.

In the south-west of Lozère, between the Causse Méjean and Causse Sauveterre (limestone plateaus), the River Tarn emerges at Mont Lozère and runs down the slopes of the Cévennes before crossing 53 kilometres of spectacular landscapes - between Quézac and Le Rozier - dotted with remarkable sites and amazing views! Dizzying limestone cliffs as tall as 500 metres, the course of the Tarn with its alternating calm waters (planiols) and rapids (rajols), blockfields and wild cirques, as well as castles, Romanesque churches, typical villages and hamlets are all among the wonderful sights that have made this unspoilt area famous.

There are many ways to admire the gems of the Tarn Gorges: by car, motorbike or bicycle along the D907 bis; by foot along the trail that runs along the left bank; or by canoe-kayak on the waters of the Tarn - strongly recommended! - departing from Sainte-Enimie or La Malène. As well as the impressive rock faces that overlook the emerald river, along the way you can see unique sites such as the medieval bridge in Quézac, the troglodytic village of Castelbouc, Prades Castle on its rocky spur overlooking the Tarn; the little town of Sainte-Enimie, listed among the most beautiful villages of France; the cirques of Saint-Chély and Pougnadoires; the romantic 15th-century Caze Castle; the picturesque village of La Malène and its manor, at the foot of the Barre rock; the Détroits, the narrowest part of the canyon, accessible by raft or canoe from La Malène; Les Baumes cirque... As well as these sightseeing destinations, you'll find superb belvederes with plunging views of the Tarn, like the listed site of Point Sublime, on the Causse Sauveterre, and Les Hourtous rock, on the Causse Méjean. There's plenty for lovers of wild countryside and typical heritage buildings!

Located in the south of the Massif Central, the Cévennes National Park covers 321,380 hectares, stretching to the south-east of Lozère and the north-west of Gard. Its highest point is Mount Lozère, at the top of Finiels at an altitude of 1,699 metres. The Cévennes National Park is full of wild, unspoilt countryside dotted with torrents, rivers and streams, and is home to a rich and diverse range of flora and fauna, which is why it has been listed as a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve.

The Tarn and Jonte gorges, the granite massif of Mount Lozère, the Cévennes ledge between Florac and Saint-Jean-du-Gard, the caves of Aven Armand and Dargilan, the blockfield of Nîmes-le-Vieux, and the Aigoual Massif, along with the Bramabiau Chasm, the meteorological observatory site at Mount Aigoual and Le Minier Pass, are some of the wonderful sights to see here. There are also lots of great hikes, for example along the Stevenson Trail, a famous hiking trail (GR 70) through the Cévennes, which the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson followed in Autumn 1878 accompanied by his donkey Modestine.

Don't miss the Park House, based in Florac Castle in Lozère, which provides visitors with information and documents about the Cévennes area, as well as a permanent exhibition - "Passengers of the landscape" - all about the natural environments of the Cévennes National Park.

As you travel the picturesque little roads lined with the beech and pine groves and oak groves, heather-covered moors, pastures and chestnut tree groves, you can admire the typical architecture of the Cévennes, dominated by granite, limestone and schist. You can also visit sites about the history and culture of the Cévennes, like the La Roque silk factory in Molezon, with its "Threads of Memory" exhibition about sericulture, the Cévennes Museum in Le Vigan and the Cévennes Valley Museum in Saint-Jean-du-Gard, both dedicated to the popular arts and traditions of the Cévennes... Finally, be sure to try regional products such as honey, cooked meats and Pélardon (a cheese made from unpasteurised goat's milk), as well as typical Cévennes dishes like Bajana, a traditional chestnut soup!

Nestling at the heart of the remarkable Tarn Gorges, the wonderful village of Sainte-Enimie, listed as one of the most beautiful villages of France, is ideal for a relaxing stroll. The

picturesque paved side streets, dotted with limestone houses and vaulted passages, the Romanesque church of Notre-Dame-du-Gourg, Burle spring, whose miraculous properties are said to have cured the Merovingian Princess Enimie in the 6th century, and the old Benedictine monastery, of which the chapel and chapterhouse remain, make it a popular destination with lovers of old buildings.

Perched on high ground around a meander of the Tarn, Sainte-Enimie makes an ideal starting point for a trip down the Tarn Gorges by canoe-kayak or a hike in the surrounding countryside, especially the craggy trail to the hermitage cave, where Sainte Enimie retired at the end of her life.

Dates for your diary: in July there's the medieval comic strip festival, with a programme of exhibitions, workshops, competitions, activities...

At the heart of the Causse Noir, in the Grands Causses Regional Nature Park in Aveyron, in the commune of La Roque-Sainte-Marguerite, lies the biggest blockfield in Europe: Montpellier-le-Vieux blockfield, a grand and unusual natural site, whose landscape of countless ruiniform dolomitic rocks offers a fantastical world...

Five signposted walks, from 1 to 3 hours' duration, are a great way to discover this superb place, which is accessible in spring, summer and autumn. Let your imagination run free as you admire the mysterious, differently shaped rocks.

At Montpellier-le-Vieux natural leisure park, you can also enjoy a ride in the little train, for those who want to see the thousand-year-old blockfield without too much effort... More intrepid visitors can try their hand at via ferrata, a unique activity which starts out underground, then carries on in the air!

In the Grands Causses Regional Nature Park, between La Roque-Sainte-Marguerite and Nant, travel along the D991 to discover the Dourbie Gorges. A route of 18 kilometres on which you can admire superb wild landscapes dotted with picturesque sites like La Roque-Sainte-Marguerite, the gateway to the canyon, or the hillside hamlet of Saint-Véran. Also don't miss the romantic site of the Corp Mill, which is very photogenic with its humpback bridge over the Dourbie!

In Saint-Jean-du-Bruel, Noria, the House of Water on the banks of the Dourbie, based in an old 13th-century mill, invites you to learn all about water-related issues on a fun, interactive educational trail.

In the heights of Sainte-Enimie, bordering the Causse Sauveterre, at an altitude of 975 metres, the departmental farm of Les Boissets is home to an interpretation centre for the Causses and gorges. Overlooking the Tarn Gorges, this hamlet, typical of the architecture of the Causses and consisting of several buildings restored by the General Council of Lozère, is surrounded by 300 hectares of moors and forests. Along an educational trail, set off to discover its various themed houses, with displays on the geology, flora, fauna, architecture or agropastoral activities of the Causses area.

Located in a very special natural environment at the heart of the Grands Causses Regional Nature Park, the welcoming little town of Millau invites you to discover all its attractions.

Overlooking old Millau from a height of 42 metres, the belfry, consisting of a 12th-century square tower and a 17th-century octagonal tower, offers a superb panoramic view over the roofs of the town, the famous Millau Viaduct and the unspoilt landscapes of the Grands Causses.

Continue your tour of the historic centre with picturesque side streets dotted with shops, Place du Maréchal Foch with its fountain and covered market, the Ayrolle washhouse, and the Museum of Millau and the Grands Causses. The latter, based in the Pégayrolles Mansion, has collections about palaeontology, prehistory, Gallo-Roman and medieval archaeology, as well as an exhibition about leather tanning and glove-making, two traditional activities the town is famous for.

Covering around a third of the department of Aveyron, with a surface area of 327 070 hectares, the Grands Causses Regional Nature Park is one of the wildest regional nature parks in France! Wild and unspoilt, this vast territory, made up of tall limestone plateaus, narrow gorges, brightly coloured hills and mountains covered with forests, encompasses six entities: the Causse du Larzac; the Causse Noir; the Causse de Sévérac; the Millavois and the Causse Rouge; the Lévézou Plateau and the Raspes du Tarn; the Rougier de Camarès, the Saint-Affricain and the Pays de Roquefort. The part of the park included in the "Causses and Cévennes" area of the site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks to its Mediterranean agro-pastoral cultural landscape. The Grands Causses Regional Nature Park is the kingdom of the ewe, whose milk is used to make Roquefort, the famous blue cheese with an incomparable flavour, and offers a wide variety of fauna and flora. As well as the emblematic ewe, its wildlife includes griffon vultures, golden eagles, peregrine falcons, common cranes, deer, roe deer, mouflons, beavers and owls.

With its countless signposted trails, this magnificent land is ideal for hiking, an invigorating activity during which you can admire our superb rural heritage, consisting of karst pools, jasses (sheepfolds), fountains, dolmens, cazelles (stone huts) and traditional farmhouses. Nature lovers will also find discovery trails marked with educational signs, as well as orientation tables offering superb panoramic views.

To find out more about the park and its treasures, head to the Park House (Maison du Parc), at 71 boulevard de l'Ayrolle in Millau.

Known as the little Venice of Lozère, La Canourgue is perfect for a leisurely stroll, with its typical houses and many canals fed by the waters of the River Urugne, which give it an undeniable charm. A very pleasant village with lots of architectural features to see: Renaissance dwellings, timber-framed houses from the 14th century, the Clock Tower and the Collegiate Church of St. Martin, dating from the 12th century.

Dominated by its feudal fortress, converted into a Renaissance Palace in the 17th century, the medieval town of Sévérac-le-Château invites you to discover all its treasures.

In the old town, once you've passed through the Peyrou fortified door, take a walk along the picturesque paved streets, dotted with old stone houses... Take the opportunity to stop by the House of Jeanne (Maison de Jeanne), one of the oldest residences in Rouergue, which puts on medieval activities in July-August.

At the castle, you can enjoy a superb view over the roofs of the town and the Aveyron Valley from the terrace, then discover the medieval remains one by one, (small courtyards, watchtowers, chapel...) and the Renaissance façade of this historic monument built in the 13th and 17th centuries.

A stage on the Stevenson Trail, Le Pont-de-Montvert, a typical village nestling on the banks of the Tarn at the foot of Mount Lozère, is a popular stopping point for hikers and lovers of authenticity. It's a delightfully picturesque group of buildings with narrow side streets, granite houses and an old humpbacked bridge next to an old toll tower...

Places to visit include the House of Mount Lozère at Le Pont-de-Montvert, which contains a museum about the natural and human history of the Mount Lozère massif.

Located in Saint-Léons in Aveyron, Micropolis is a leisure park dedicated to the world of insects and biodiversity. Discover more than 70 living species in a fun, interactive way by following an indoor trail through fifteen exhibition rooms. From the butterfly house to the giant anthill, through the hives and vivariums, explore the fascinating world of infinitely small creatures!

Nestling at the heart of the Causse du Larzac, in wild, unspoilt countryside, the medieval village of La Couvertoirade has retained a truly remarkable group of buildings from its Templar and Hospitaller past. The towers and wall-walk of the ramparts, fortified doors, Templar castle from the late 12th century, fortress church from the 14th century, paved side streets dotted with typical stone houses, and old residences like the Scipione House and the Grailhe Mansion make La Couvertoirade a simply unmissable listed site!

At the heart of Aveyron, in the Grands Causses Regional Nature Park, between Causse Rouge and the Larzac Plateau, the impressive Millau Viaduct, built from December 2001 to December 2004, blends in perfectly with the landscape. Known as the Gard Bridge of the 21st century, this stay bridge consisting of seven pylons is a real technical feat. Measuring 2 460 metres long and 343 metres tall, Millau motorway viaduct elegantly crosses the Tarn Valley. While this high-tech building, a listed Great Site of the Midi-Pyrénées, can be admired from many spots all around, two places are particularly worth a visit: the Viaduc Expo, located in the Aire du Viaduc de Millau, accessible via the A75 motorway or the Boulevard du Viaduc, with an exhibition on how the structure was built, complete with signs and scale models; and the Viaduc Espace Info, located under the bridge, with an indoor exhibition and guided tour of the Explorers' Garden (Jardin des Explorateurs) to find out more about the viaduct that broke all records!

The prefecture of Lozère and former capital of Gévaudan, Mende enjoys an ideal geographical location in the upper Lot Valley, at the edge of the Cévennes National Park. Surrounded by mountains, this charming small town, both peaceful and welcoming, invites you to discover its wonderful sights on a pleasant walk. The paved side streets lined with old houses; small squares decorated with fountains; the picturesque medieval Notre-Dame bridge and the surrounding area, dotted with beautiful houses with roofs like an upturned boat hull; the Penitents' Tower, a relic of the old ramparts; the 18th-century town hall with a tilestone roof, and the Gothic Cathedral of Our Lady and St. Privatus are all among the treasures you can admire in Mende.

Dominated by the silhouette of its two differently-sized bell towers, the imposing Mende Cathedral was built from the 14th century onwards at the request of Urbanus V, a pope from Gévaudan, whose bronze statue has stood on the forecourt since 1874. Once inside the building, discover the crypt of St. Privatus, the black Virgin dating from the 12th century, brought back from the East by the crusaders, the carved wooden stalls, the Aubusson tapestries from the early 18th century illustrating scenes from the Virgin's life, the 17th-century organs by the Eustache brothers, and more.

In August, the streets of the town are especially lively, during the traditional Great Festival of Mende, a colourful event with a great atmosphere, featuring street performers, concerts, fairground attractions, a procession of floral floats and fireworks.

For tea, enjoy croquant de Mende, a delicious little finger biscuit with almonds and hazelnuts, made by the town's bakers and pastry chefs!

At the heart of the Grands Causses Regional Nature Park, at an altitude of around 800 metres, the Causse du Larzac, a UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks to its Mediterranean agro-pastoral cultural landscape, is an immense limestone plateau with a lunar landscape. Its dry grasslands, dotted with moors and ruiniform rocks, are the kingdom of the ewes whose milk is used to produce the famous Roquefort.

The Larzac plateau is also a land steeped in history. Reminders include the Templar and Hospitaller villages of La Cavalerie, La Couvertoirade, Sainte-Eulalie-de-Cernon, Viala-du-Pas-de-Jaux and Saint-Jean d'Alcas. An amazing built heritage made up of towers, ramparts and fortified doors, well worth a look!

In the summer, La Jasse - Maison du Larzac, based in an old sheepfold between Millau and La Cavalerie, offers themed exhibitions, activities and local products.

And for a fun, original way to admire the landscapes of Larzac, nothing beats a velorail trip, departing from the station at Sainte-Eulalie-de-Cernon!

Located in the south-east of the Massif Central, in the Cévennes National Park, Mount Lozère reaches an altitude of 1,699 metres and is the highest point in Lozère and the Cévennes. This granitic territory is full of unspoilt plant life and has many trails including the GR 70, better known as Stevenson's trail, making it ideal for hiking. Take the chance to contemplate its superb panoramic views, not only in the scenery of Mount Lozère, made up of moors covered with broom and heather, peat bogs, pastures and granite blockfields, as well as in the surrounding mountains. Take the Finiels Pass for example, at an altitude of 1,541 metres, which offers beautiful views over Mount Aigoual and the surrounding Causses. This pass is popular with cyclists and is also the starting point for the La Pelouse walking trail, an interpretation centre to learn about the natural environment that takes you close to the summit of Finiels. The highest point of the Cévennes, the latter is a large plateau with three orientation tables, offering really exceptional panoramic views!

For hikers who love old buildings, some hamlets are especially worth a visit, such as L'Hôpital, the old commandery of the Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem, Mas Camargues and Bellecoste. Departing from the information centre in Mas Camargues, you can follow an observation trail made up of three circuits to discover the local rural and natural heritage.

On Mount Lozère, the outdoor activities continue in winter, with the family ski resort of Le Bleymard Mont Lozère, which offers Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, luge, snowshoe hikes and dogsled rides.

In the south-west of Mount Lozère, the Cham des Bondons site has over 150 menhirs and 30 funeral mounds, making it the second highest concentration of megaliths in Europe after Carnac! You can discover this archaeological heritage on a trail called Walk in the Land of Menhirs...

To find out more about this massif's history, geology, flora, architecture, skills and traditions, head to the Mount Lozère Museum, located in the typical village of Le Pont-de-Montvert.

Finally, honey lovers won't want to leave this wonderful area without trying the hive products sold by the apiaries of Cubières, Cubiérettes and Saint-André-Capcèze, at the foot of Mount Lozère!

The Navacelles cirque is located between the limestone plateaus of Le Larzac and Blandas, between the departments of Gard and Hérault, and is a listed Grand National Site, forming an impressive natural amphitheatre with its tall limestone cliffs. The beauty of the place can be fully appreciated from the panoramic viewpoints of La Baume Auriol and Blandas. At the centre of the cirque, the picturesque village of Navacelles is particularly photogenic, with its waterfall and spectacular environment. Superb!

Created in 1856 by Eugène Mazel, a Cevennes-dweller and keen botanist, the famous Prafrance bamboo garden (not far from Anduze) is a wonderful exotic garden that invites you to saunter through its grounds. The restful paths through tall bamboo trees; the Valley of the Dragon, a splendid Japanese-style Zen garden; the Bambusarium with its many bamboo species, the Mazel greenhouse containing fragrant plants and exotic flowers; the Laotian village with its typical bamboo constructions; the water garden, as peaceful as can be with its koi carp, dragonflies and lotuses... All these splendours have made the park's name.

At the heart of the old province of Gévaudan, near Marvejols in Sainte-Lucie, in the commune of Saint-Léger-de-Peyre, Gévaudan Wolf Park has over 130 wolves living in semi-freedom in a wooded area of several hectares. They come from Mongolia, Poland, Canada and Siberia.

Guided tours of the park with a specialist, walks along the trail dotted with observation areas, and the museum's exhibition rooms all provide a chance to learn about the wolf, which is now a protected species, and help rehabilitate the image of this misunderstood animal, the villain in so many fairy-tales and legends.