Some people say “Lozère chooses you, rather than you choosing it”.
Lozère (pronounced Low-zair) is a very special destination and dear to our heart, as it is where we chose to settle. You will see for yourself when you visit it.
Lozère is the least populated area in France. Lozère has a population density comparable to the state of Montana, around 15 inhabitants per square mile. Though it is sparsely populated, with about 3,000 square miles, it is an outdoor activities’ paradise, regardless of the season. It is also home of what is called “the French Grand Canyon”, namely “Les Gorges du Tarn”.
A little trivia: Lozère is the area of France with the highest average altitude. It is located on Massif Central, home of around 450 extinct volcanoes. Though most places where you will go will sit at about 1,500 feet. It is also the only area of France where all the bodies of water (creeks, rivers, brooks) take their source locally.
It is located halfway between Clermont-Ferrand (world headquarters of Michelin Tires) and Montpellier, on the Mediterranean coast.
Understandably, Lozère is very rural and a mostly mountainous area. You can enjoy, depending on the season, kayaking, whitewater rafting, cross country skiing, hiking, mountain biking, race biking, and mountain climbing. Lozère’s history dates to prehistoric times. It is also documented that the Roman Empire passed by there with Caesar, back when Lozerian people were called “Gabals”. During that time Lozère was home of handmade pottery and coin making for the whole region. The region also holds a rich and somewhat grim religious history. It is where Protestant outcasts fought for 2 years the Royal forces of Louis the XIV in the late 17th and early 18th centuries.
You can find castles among the pristine landscapes and sceneries, along with preserved nature. Much like in the rest of France, one can enjoy seeing castles (some in better shape than others) nestled throughout Lozère.
You can find some castles among the pristine landscapes and sceneries, along with preserved nature. Don’t forget about the exquisite local food! Most farming is organic, and people rely on local productions for their food. When visiting Lozère, you should not miss the quaint village of La Canourgue. It is also known as the Little Venice of Lozère, with its canals built, when the village was founded some 1300 years ago, by monks. Ste Enimie is another village, dating back to pre-Medieval times, located near the Tarn River and within the Gorges du Tarn.
Regardless of where you go in Lozère, you will find yourself letting your imagination wander along its nature walking and mountain biking trails.
Its magnificent wonders that will leave memorable moments for a lifetime, such as, encountering a family of deer, grazing the oddly shaped pastures.
Whether you bring your cellphone with you or decide to leave it behind, you are bound to have locations where there are no cellphone towers. You can enjoy the feeling of being disconnected from the outside world yet immersed within all the Lozère nature has to offer.
Lozère will, as it does to us every day, never cease to amaze you, regardless of the length of your stay.
Want to read more about activities in Lozère, click here!