Date: 24th July 2023
Travelled: 130 kms from Florac to La Roque-sur-Cรจze
Visited: Lussan
Stayed: La Roque-sur-Cรจze Aire CC, โฌ13, N44.19580, E04.52320
Budget: 63 days @ โฌ86 per day
A couple of weeks ago we were wandering some mountain village when we stumbled upon this English guy touring France on his bicycle. So we start chatting about our favourite places, he tells us about the Tarn Gorge and Florac.
So I put are marker on Florac. He was right about the Tarn but Florac, maybe not so. We go for our normal long walk this morning finding Florac very ordinary. The highlight of our walk pictured below.
We escape Florac continuing up the Tarn Gorge. Itโs a scenic drive but long and exhausting. The road is a series of continuous bends and we find ourselves behind a semi-trailer for more than 50 kms till the first piece of dual carriageway and we can get back to our own pace.
As we approach Alรฉs the gorge is left behind and its a relatively easy drive on to Lussan.
Arriving in Lussan we find a spot in the car-park below the castle, the remains of which are now the town hall. The temperature has risen dramatically since we left the gorge and itโs now in the low 30ยฐ. So we opt for the broad brimmed hat and go for a wander.
From our guide book the Most Beautiful Villages of France youโll find Lussan on page 113. Standing high on a rocky outcrop surrounded by high stone ramparts Lussan has panoramic views of Cรฉvennes. Our guide book describes it a archetypical medieval village of the Languedoc.
From the castle which is now la mairie or town hall (pictured above), we start by walking the ramparts.
Our first point of interest is the Protestant Church of Lussan. Interestingly itโs the first non Catholic Church weโve come across. The blurb tells us the original church dates from 1656 but this was destroyed during the French war of religion. It was eventually rebuilt by royal decree in 1822.
As we wander the village we note the hydrangea, so common in the gardens weโve seen travelling in France have given way oleanders. The gardens here reflect less rain and hence less colour.
The view from the rampart remind us of Tuscany or Umbria.
The รglise Saint-Pierre de Lussan is pictured below. From the blurb it was rebuilt in 1806, then again after being bombed in 1944. Other than that thereโs the long story about the bell which they eventually installed on one of the towers of the castle.
As we walk back to the Hymer we are focused on finding a place for the night with shade. Our next planned village, La Roque-sur-Cรจze has an Aire CC and the reviews state itโs well shaded so we set the GPS.
Michael + Pam
