The rock of the Lion

4 points of interest

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  History and heritage

  This old railway line

  This old railway line connected Le Vigan to Tournemire climbing the foothills of the Larzac. It was granted to the Compagnie du Midi in 1883, works began in 1881 and lasted 11 years. Over 60 kilometers, this line has 32 tunnels, 12 viaducts and several kilometers of retaining walls.
  In 1896, the traffic of the travelers is put in place: 3 trains a day circulate in 2 directions. It takes 2:15 to make Le Vigan - Tournemire and only 2:00 in the opposite direction.
  The First World War caused the first threats on this line. Since 1917, there was talk of dismantling the rails between Le Vigan and Nant-Comberedonde. Traffic resumed gradually to reach its highest point in 1922, with 372 travelers per day and 33,000 tons for the year.
  Freight traffic remained alone on the entire line until June 1951.
  Closed to all traffic in 1952, the railway between Avèze and L'Hospitalet was removed in 1955. In 1960, the rails were removed between L'Hospitalet and Tournemire, then it was decided to hand them over in 1977 as part of the extension project of the military camp of La Cavalerie. The project was abandoned in 1981, no convoy took this section. It is used today by the Vélorail du Larzac in Ste-Eulalie de Cernon.

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  History and heritage

  "La Baoumasse" or the Resistants' Cave

  The Resistants’ cave (or Maquisards’ cave) is a natural cavity located on the edge of the plateau. Also called “La Baoumasse” or “Jas méjié” in the 17th century, it was used as summer sheepfold for the herds of La Bastide…

  
  Here, there is a story that is passed on from generation to generation :
  “Once upon a time, a mouse asked a swallow for hospitality. The swallow had built its nest in the cave of La Bastide and was sitting on its eggs.
  The swallow agreed on condition that the mouse hatched in its place for 3 days. The mouse did the job, and then it left.
  These were the little hatches, but they were covered with hairs instead of feathers and they had the head and the body of a mouse, with ears and crooked wings like the devil.
  The swallow died of grief. After her funeral, the queen of the swallows had the orphans locked in the cavity and forbade them to go out in the sunlight on pain of death.
  That's why bats should not be disturbed during the day."

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  Flora

  The asphodel

  The asphodel is a large perennial that often exceeds 1 meter and grows in rocky lawns, dry hillsides and rocks... In springtime, we can see it on the plateau towards the rock of the lion.

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  Geology

  The rock of the Lion

  The Hospitallers traced a mule track linking La Bastide-Prandines to the commandery of Saint-Félix de Sorgues and passed through Viala-du-Pas de Jaux.
  This medieval way, whose real name is “carrière cave” (path cashed) accesses the plateau near a large roc having the shape of a crouching lion playing with a rat (the rock of the lion ...)