Les Vignes: Hiking, Water and Heritage

Les Vignes brings together the landscape of the Gorges du Tarn, hiking trails, water activities and historic buildings. When choosing your destination, you can consider whether you mainly want to hike, enjoy the Plan d’eau des Vignes or explore the history of the village. Distances and trail conditions vary considerably; looking at the individual routes can help you plan.

Location and landscape

The small village lies in the Gorges du Tarn, on the slopes of the Causse de Sauveterre limestone plateau, at an altitude of around 400 metres. The Causse Méjean lies opposite. The altitude and the two landscape references provide specific points of orientation when choosing a destination. Part of the Les Vignes area belongs to the Natura 2000 site “gorges du Tarn,” a special area of conservation bearing the code FR 9101378.

Below Les Vignes, in the heart of the Gorges du Tarn, is the Plan d’eau des Vignes, where you can cool off. The name of the village also points to a former use of the landscape: Les Vignes takes its name from the winegrowing that took place there in the 18th century. This is a historical reference, not a statement about present-day cultivation.

Hiking trails and choosing a route

La Caxe starts in Les Vignes and is classified as a very difficult circular hike. The route is 11.6 kilometres long, with 668 metres of ascent and 667 metres of descent. This makes it markedly different from the shorter trails in the village. Check the route details before setting off, especially if you are planning this demanding hike.

For the two unmarked trails, the out-and-back distances make comparison easier: the Sentier de l’Hironcel is 3 kilometres long and covers 6 kilometres as an out-and-back route. The also unmarked Sentier d’interprétation du village, by contrast, is listed as a total of 3 kilometres for the out-and-back route.

Les Vignes is also a stop on the GR736 Gorges et Vallée du Tarn and the GR6 Chemin de Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert. If you are interested in either of these long-distance hiking routes, you can take the stopover into account when planning your route. The geocaching hunt in the village offers another way to discover the area: plaques provide letters that can be combined, with the help of clues, to form a secret word in Occitan.

Water activities

At the Plan d’eau des Vignes, Aqualoisirs offers stand-up paddleboarding and pedal boating. The provider also offers six canoe routes ranging from 11 to 32 kilometres. Activities and equipment may vary by season; check availability if you are planning to take part.

The canoe orienteering course at the Plan d’eau has ten checkpoints. You can get a navigation clue at the tourist office or from canoe rental providers. The number of checkpoints and where to get the clue distinguish the course from the canoe routes on offer: it is an orienteering activity on the water, while the routes are described by specific distances.

Buildings and history

Several buildings tell different chapters of the village’s history. The Pont des Vignes was built in 1838. The Chapelle Notre Dame de la Pitié was created in the 15th century from a house donated by a family. The addition of a bell tower transformed the house into a chapel.

The Moulin des Parayres is a fulling mill. The current of the Tarn was used to clean and degrease wool. This function distinguishes the mill from the religious buildings and points to the former processing of wool.

In the vicinity of Les Vignes, in Massegros-Causses-Gorges, stands the Église Saint-Préjet. The Romanesque church overlooks the Tarn. It belonged to the former commune of Les Vignes and was associated with the former hamlet of Saint-Préjet, opposite the hamlet of Les Vignes. Since 10 December 2021, the church has been fully listed as a historic monument.

Getting around locally

The MASSEGROS CAUSSES GORGES – LES VIGNES – Mon. Aux Morts bus stop is served by the Meyrueis–Millau route. Check the timetable before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Le Rozier, Altier, Mende, Saint-Pierre-des-Tripiers, Marchastel, Albaret-Sainte-Marie, Moissac Vallée F., Bagnols-Les-Bains.

See the overview of the wider region: Lozère.