Date: 13th September 2023
Travelled: 90 kms from Ruoms to Le Cavalerie
Visited: La Couvertoirade
Stayed: Le Cavalerie Aire CC, โฌ12, N44.00880, E03.15230
Budget: 114 days @ โฌ96 per day
We left the aire in Ruoms with little fanfare this morning. It had rained heavily overnight and despite everything being a little sodden the sun broke out as we were servicing the Hymer.
Weโve set the GPS for the village of La Couvertoirade, despite the fact its only 60 kms away the GPS tell us 90 minutes which seems a long time for the distance but soon enough we find our drive is through the Gorges de la Vis.
The drive through the Gorge is picturesque, but if your driving, your too busy with single lane bridges, narrow winding road and worrying about whatโs coming around the corner.
La Couvertoirade is situated south of Millau about 6-7 kms of the A75, but taking the A75 will not get you there. We follow the old highway which parallels the A75 for 15kms before the turn.
From our guide book the Most Beautiful Villages of France youโll findย La Couvertoirade on page 190. Standing on the wide sweeping hills of the Causse du Larzac is seems like dry open country for the Templars to build on outpost in the 12th century. Apparently part of a strategic line of outpost, than a formed passage to the Holy Lands. It was taken over and expanded by the Knights Hospitaliers (another band of mercenary monks) in the 14th century.
Today its somewhat restored to it glory days with the addition of some tat shops, and artisan craft shops.
La Couvertoirade is certainly worth a stop and interesting to explore, it would have been much more interesting with some more information panels. There wasnโt many even in French.
Our tour completed we walk back to the Hymer, pay the parking fee of โฌ4 and set the GPS for an aire in Le Cavalerie. Our plan for a late afternoon walk into Cavalerie is brought undone by a thunderstorm and a couple of hours rain.
So that was our day.
Michael + Pam
