Photo by Christel SAGNIEZ
Lozère is a rural area with a population of around 76,000 inhabitants. Its capital, Mende, is the smallest prefecture in France. Located in the heart of the Lot Valley, the town lies between Margeride to the north, the Causse de Sauveterre, and Mont-Lozère to the south. Mende is the most populous municipality in the department with 12,000 residents. It also serves as a gateway to the Causses and Cévennes, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2011.
Did you know? The layout of the Village de Gîtes Le Colombier was designed to reflect the three main geological features found in the Lozère region. The areas of Aubrac and Margeride are characterized by the presence of granite stones, while the Cévennes are rich in schist, and the Causses are made up of limestone — a permeable rock that promotes the creation of caves, unlike granite, which is far more resistant to water erosion.
Have you heard the legend of the Beast of Gévaudan? This mysterious creature caused terror for nearly three years, between 1764 and 1767, resulting in 87 deaths and many injuries. The first attacks occurred around Langogne, with the first victim being Jeanne Boulet, killed in Vivarais. The case became so notorious that even King Louis XV offered a 6,000 livres reward to anyone who could kill the Beast. It was eventually Jean Chastel who put an end to it, killing a large canid weighing 53 kg at Sogne d’Auvers. However, the mystery remains unsolved: the animal was never formally identified. The naturalist Buffon believed it was simply a “large wolf”…