Trail running No. 26 Roquefort – Combalou

6 points of interest

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  Archeology

  Soulzon Menhir

  This large stone with rounded shapes is over three metres high and is often referred to as a “menhir”, although no features corresponding to an authentic menhir has been identified (a menhir is a large upright standing stone erected by man between 3500 and 2000 BC). Different interpretations have been given about its origins: is it a mere remnant of one of the Combalou's many fallen rocks, upon which a cross was carved in medieval times to turn it into a territorial marker, a boundary stone for instance, between the Montclarat and the Tournemire communities? Or is it an ancient menhir that was Christianised (2 crosses deeply engraved next to each other) as so many other megaliths were?

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  Agropastoralism

  Dry Grasslands

  Dry Grasslands which are iconic features of the caussenard landscape originate from pristine forests that have been transformed by human actions (land clearing, stubble-burning, farming and pasture). This ecosystem is a semi-natural environment with outstanding biological particularities: it provides a critical habitat for rare animal and plant species and is a perfect hunting ground for birds nesting in surrounding cliffs and gorges. Moreover, these traditional pastoral lands have been used for centuries. At the end of the spring season, the causses scenery is decked out with tall grass (feather grass) that forms the shape of a thick silver hair. (source PNR Grands Causses).

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  Geology

  Tournemire amphitheatre

  The great Tournemire amphitheatre is one of the most outstanding escarpments of the western edge of the Larzac and as such is classified "Zone Natura 2000". The lower slopes are the only part where Toarcian marls are visible in the SW erosion gullies, everywhere else these marls are hidden under rocky slopes and big rock slides. At the top of the slopes, the dolomitic limestone ruin-shaped cliffs frame the outline of this amphitheatre.

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  Fauna

  Birds

  The cliffs of the Tournemire amphitheatre are an important playground and nesting area for numerous birds. These cliffs are home to great variety of bird life, from the most expressive to the most secretive such as: the Rock Swallow; the Alpine Swift; the Red-billed Chough; the Wall creeper; Bats (Greater Horseshoe) and birds of prey nesting on cliffs among which is the Eurasian Eagle-Owl.

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  Agropastoralism

  The Combalou Jasse

  Once the milking season was over, shepherds and their flocks would reach the Combalou pastoral routes via the slopes to the rear of the Combalou plateau rather than climbing up the cliff using the ladders. Shepherds used these ladders to scale down directly to Roquefort and climb up the same pathways when the ewes needed to be sheltered in the jasse. The flocks would be kept on the plateau until the first cold of autumn.

  The jasse was a two storey building: the ground-floor consisted of two sheepfolds, one of which had a vaulted ceiling, the first floor was a huge barn used to store the hay.

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  Geology

  The Combalou scree slope

  The imposing rocky chaos that surrounds us comes from the numerous and profound movements that the plateau of Combalou has undergone: landslides, rockslides, erosion… The diagram highlights the primitive and current structures of the whole Combalou plateau.

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