Piédestal de Fontaneilles
By traveling the north then south hillsides of the Puech de Fontaneilles (witness of the Grands Causses geologie), discover a rich heritage full of history: the castle of Peyrelade, the mysterious Pedestal and also the village of the wine cellars d'Entre-deux-Monts (not to be missed).
2 points of interest
History and heritageThe Pedestal of Fontaneilles
At the end of the 19th century, three priest (Abbot Lubac, abbot Cazes and abbot Pineau), undertook colossal project to set up a statue of the Virgin Mary on the Puech de Fontaneilles who can be seen by all the horizons, the Limestone plateau and Lévezou.
The construction was not easy. About ten workers got down to it during two years.
The villagers voluntarily participated to create an accessible path to transport the necessary materials for the construction of the site.
The water of a source discovered at the beginning of the path was collected in barrels and was use for the preparation of mortar. The stone was extracted and cut on the spot.
Once the Pedestal finished, it was only waiting on the Statue of the Virgin that was ordered in belgium and never came.
Swinle, lies, embezzlement, nobody knows what really happened.
- History and heritage
Peyrelade castle
Built between the 12th and 16th centuries, the Château de Peyrelade constituted one of the most important fortresses in the Rouergue in the Middle Ages, thanks to the position of its natural rock-dungeon that enables it to control the Tarn valley. Today, guided visits enable you to discover the site's turbulent history, its very particular architecture as well as numerous restoration works and digs that have been undertaken in the last 25 years. The visit ends by climbing onto the rock that offers a superb panorama of this section of the valley and the Gorges du Tarn. Scenery walk with models, reconstituted drawings, animations and viewpoint indicators.
Description
- Leave the parking and go up to the castle, then follow the path on the right that goes along the ramparts, on 400 m.
- Get on the path that rises on the left. on 100 m, stay on the path on your right. It goes up in undergrowth, reaches the wooded plateau of the Puech de Fontaneilles and ends up on a forest path.
- Make a round trip on the right to gain in 300m, the television antenna and enjoy the sight on thr valley of Trébans and the village of Bourg. Retrace your steps and continue straight ahead on the forest path to arrive at a junction.
- On the left side, go towards the Pedestral, about 400m. View on the valley of the Tarn, the village of Rivière-sur-Tarn and the hamlet of Caylus perched on the hill on the opposite side. Retrace your steps and come down by taking the forest track in wide laces. Once crossing the gate, go along on 100m and foward on the little path on the left. It leads to Fontaneilles, at a big farm.
- Get on the left path, 500m after yhe wooden barrier. Keep this track until the road which leads to Col. Follow the signage until the cellars of Entre-deux-Monts.
- Retrace your steps until finding the path common to an entrance of a field.
Follow it until reaching the road of Fontaneilles. Go up on the left and take on right site 200m further to come towards the village. - Return on the road and go down until Fontaneilles and cross the village.
- After the church, take the second street on the left. At the crossing out of stones, follow the path that passes bellow an agricultural shed which continues until Louradou.
- At the crossing of Louradou, take the path going up to the hamlet of Peyrelade. Take time to discover the castle, a fortress of the 12th century, which the visit allows you to retrace the time of the Lords of Rouergue.
- Departure : From the Castle of Peyrelade
- Towns crossed : Rivière-sur-Tarn
Altimetric profile
Information desks
Tourist Office Millau Grands Causses
1, place du Beffroi, 12100 MILLAU
Access and parking
(By the D809 and the D907, 15 km from Millau) At the entrance of the village Boyne ,a street on the left that goes up to the castle of Peyrelade.
Source
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