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Causses and Cévennes: A Mediterranean Agro-Pastoral Landscape

Explore the Causses and Cévennes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site showcasing millennia of Mediterranean agro-pastoral traditions in a stunning landscape.

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The Causses and Cévennes, a UNESCO World Heritage site in southern France, showcases over three millennia of agro-pastoral history. This cultural landscape features mountains interwoven with deep valleys, shaped by traditional grazing practices and reflecting a unique relationship between people and their environment.

A brief summary to UNESCO Causses and Cévennes

Local tips

  • Explore the local markets for regional products like sheep cheese, honey, and chestnuts.
  • Hike along the drailles (transhumance routes) to experience the landscape and its pastoral history.
  • Visit the Cévennes National Park for unspoiled natural environments and outdoor activities.
  • Discover the Gorges du Tarn by boat for a unique perspective on the canyon.
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Getting There

  • Car

    The Causses and Cévennes region is best accessed by car to explore its diverse landscapes. Major towns acting as gateways include Alès, Ganges, Lodève, Mende, and Millau. From these towns, follow well-marked roads into the heart of the Causses and Cévennes. Be aware that roads can be winding and narrow in mountainous areas. Parking is generally available in villages and at major attractions.

  • Public Transport

    Access to the Causses and Cévennes by public transport is possible but may require planning. TGV train lines connect Paris to Nîmes and Montpellier. From there, regional TER trains and buses provide access to towns within the region such as Alès, Mende and Millau. Bus line 280 connects Montpellier to Millau and Mende. From these larger towns, local bus routes serve some of the smaller villages. Check local bus schedules for connections, as services may be limited, especially in rural areas.

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Discover more about UNESCO Causses and Cévennes

The Causses and Cévennes, inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2011, represents an exceptional example of a Mediterranean agro-pastoral cultural landscape. Located in the southern Massif Central, the site spans over 3,000 km² across four departments: Aveyron, Gard, Hérault, and Lozère. For thousands of years, agro-pastoral activities, whether sedentary or involving transhumance of sheep, cattle, and goats, have sustained human life in this area. These practices have maintained vast open spaces for grazing and shaped distinctive, iconic landscapes. The current landscape reflects successive agro-pastoral organizations, bearing numerous traces of their evolution. The area's geological structure includes limestone, schist, and granite. The landscape is characterized by mountains braided with deep valleys, illustrating the relationship between agro-pastoral systems and their biophysical environment, notably through the drailles, or transhumance routes. Villages and large stone farms on the deep terraces of the Causses reflect the organization of the great abbeys from the 11th century. Mont Lozère remains one of the last places where summer transhumance is still practiced traditionally. From the 16th to 18th centuries, the Cévennes became known for chestnut, sheep, and silk production, leading to a population boom and the construction of large farmhouses. The area faced emigration towards larger cities due to silkworm disease and the First World War. Today, the agro-pastoral tradition remains alive and has been revitalized, preserving the area's cultural heritage.

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