Driving tour around le vigan

• From Le Vigan follow signs for Mont Aigoual (D999).
• After approx. 3kms, turn left and follow signs for Breau.

Look out for the octagonal shaped protestant church.

• Retrace your steps and follow signs for Mars.

Keep going until you reach the Col de Mouzoules where a protestant gathering* was informed on by someone living in the commune. When the traitor was discovered, he had to dig his own tomb at the meeting place.

• Continue along the D336 until you reach Aumessas, where the church is distinctive because of its open bell tower. Aumessas has the only protestant church in the valley.
• Continue your route by following the D189, which links Aumessas to Arrigas.

This commune was traditionally catholic, as were Arre and Bez; there are a significant number of statues of the Virgin Mary along the Arre valley.

• Come back along the D999 and return to Le Vigan.

Follow signs to Millau (D999) for about 3kms.

At the end of Cavaillac turn right and then 600m further on take a left turn for Molieres.The restored silk spinning mill with big arched bay windows is immediately eye catching. This mill was the last to close in the '50s.
Cross the village and drive to the picturesque hamlet of Esparon, perched on the hill.

Follow the narrow D790 to Bez.
The woollen hosiery factory was replaced initially by cotton hosiery, then in the 18th century by silk.

These were essentially cottage industries and the Cevenols worked at home on metal looms made by the local blacksmith. You can learn more about these cottage industries, and see numerous artefacts at the Cevenol museum.
Your next stop is Arre, along the D999.

This village was an important centre for hosiery. In the 19th century factories replaced home based work and the "Brun d'Arre" factory developed successfully, investing in mechanical looms in 1860, and high yielding looms in 1880 and subsequently the dye works...the Brun d'Arre company was well known for its silk stockings thanks to the production of "Lily stockings" (bas Lys) in 1906.

In the 20th century with the arrival of nylon and synthetic materials, the factories continued production, but little by little they closed down in response to economic pressures. The WELL factory is still based in Le Vigan, but that is also in the process of making cutbacks.

 Return to Le Vigan via the D999.

• You can reach the hamlet of Campestre (26kms) by following the D999 in the Millau direction.
• Soon after the "col de la Barriere" turn left and follow the D270 to Campestre
  and then to Luc.

The two villages are on the Larzac Causse where the countryside is wild and open.

• Come back through Alzon.
• Turn right in the village (D154) and drive to Vissec.

The road follows the dry riverbed of the Vis; the river runs underground until the resurgence at la Foux.

• Continue along the D113, which takes you back up to the plateau and the village of Blandas.

There is an information board between the two villages that explains about life on the Causse.
From the viewing point about 1.5 kms from Blandas, you can see the Cirque de Navacelles.

• You can drive down to Navacelles by a series of hairpin bends.

On one of these there is the start of a path leading to the "Moulins de la Foux" (mills of the Foux). At Navacelles there is the chance of a refreshing swim.

• Drive back up towards Maurice de Navacelles then, following signs for Ganges, join the road going to the Gorges of the Vis, an amazing canyon carved out of the limestone.
• At Madières turn left towards Rogues, back up on the Causse.
• Follow the D48 through Montardier.
• Leaving the village take a right hand fork to Pommiers, drive down to Avèze and then back to Le Vigan.

• From Le Vigan, cross the bridge over the river Arre on the D110 until you reach the "perch" of St. Bresson village.

It is a winding road, but the panoramic views more than make up for it.

• Drive down to St. Laurent le Minier, over the bridge which crosses the river Vis ;

there is a carpark there with information boards, picnic tables and the Meuse waterfall : an ideal place for a refreshing swim.

• Follow the signs for Ganges and turn left at the bridge.
• Take the D999 towards Le Vigan.
• At St. Julien de la Nef cross the river Herault and follow signs for Roquedur.

There is an excellent viewing spot at Roquedur le Haut.

• Le Vigan is at the bottom of the mountain.

• Drive in the direction of Mont Aigoual (D999), then after approx. 3kms turn left and follow theD190 through Aulas to Arphy.

The valley follows the river Coudoulous that is used for agricultural irrigation, notably the apple orchards. The local variety of apple is the "Reinette du Vigan" and has been grown here for centuries : you can buy Reinette apple juice all year round...it is best drunk cold.

• Carry on the D190 until you reach the D48 (known as the mountain road) and turn right.

You overlook the valley that you have just crossed.

• When you are at the same height as Aulas, turn left and then left again at the next crossing, in the direction of Mandagout.

There are a lot of sweet chestnut trees along this section of the road : you are also quite likely to come across small flocks of goats.

• When you leave the village head right on the D329 towards Navous, and then l'Arboux.

The road is narrow, but very pretty and you can get a clear view of the sweet onion terraces, situated by the small hamlets, which nestle next to the watercourses. It was only fifteen or so years ago that the fields, now cleared, were overgrown with vegetation.

• Keep going to the crossroads and turn right onto the D999 to return to Le Vigan.