Discover Saint-Laurent-De-Trèves

Saint-Laurent-De-Trèves is defined by its distinctive setting and several clearly distinct historical connections. The village offers a focus on landscape and history for your stay: its themes range from the prehistoric use of the Castellas to Romanesque architecture and traces of the former castle.

Ridge, valley and panorama

The houses of Saint-Laurent-De-Trèves stand along a rocky ridge overlooking the Tarnon Valley. The Castellas offers panoramic views over the Tarnon Valley and the Causse Méjean. The valley is therefore both part of the described settlement setting and part of the panorama; the Causse Méjean is explicitly included as another element of the view. This makes it possible to distinguish the relationship between the houses and the terrain from the view from the Castellas: the first describes the layout of the village, while the second takes in two landscapes.

The Castellas between prehistory and dinosaur tracks

The Castellas brings together several historical connections. Excavations show that this limestone plateau, shaped like a “cap barré,” was first used in the Late Neolithic, approximately between 3000 and 2500 BC. This dating indicates an approximate period of first use, not a single year. The former castle stood on the Castellas at the site of the dinosaur tracks. Tracks of Grallator were found at the site. The site is a classified and protected location in the Cévennes National Park. Several information panels are available at the Castellas. Together, these bring prehistoric use, paleontological finds and a historic castle site into one place; however, these connections do not belong to the same period.

The castle, its dating and its coat of arms in the village

The former castle was mentioned as early as the beginning of the 12th century and was destroyed in the 17th century. These two details mark an early mention and the castle’s much later end. It stood on the Castellas at the site of the dinosaur tracks, connecting the castle with a place that is also significant for paleontology. In the village, a lintel bears the coat of arms of the former castle. The castle’s history can thus be encountered at two different points: its former site on the Castellas and a coat of arms on an architectural detail in the village.

Romanesque church and local history

The Church of Saint-Laurent is a Romanesque church dating from the 12th century. It offers a different perspective from the castle’s history: the castle is documented as having been mentioned at the beginning of the 12th century, while the church is described as a building from that period. Both connections therefore date to the same century, but they are dated in different ways. The Romanesque church adds an independent architectural landmark to the history of the former castle site. The village’s history is thus reflected both in the plateau and archaeological site at the Castellas and in the architectural heritage in the village.

Discover more destinations: Lanuéjols, Pied De Borne, Saint-Pierre-des-Tripiers, La Bastide-Puylaurent, Grandrieu, Saint-Symphorien, La Chaze-de-Peyre, Mende.

For the overview of the wider region: Lozère.