Les Vignes: Holiday Apartments and Holiday Homes

Les Vignes is a small village in the Gorges du Tarn, on the slopes of the Causse de Sauveterre limestone plateau at an altitude of around 400 m, opposite the Causse Méjean. Part of the Les Vignes area lies within the Natura 2000 site “gorges du Tarn”, a Special Area of Conservation with the designation FR 9101378. Below the village, in the heart of the Gorges du Tarn, is the Plan d’eau des Vignes, where visitors can cool off.

Those who choose Les Vignes as a holiday destination can rent a holiday apartment there.

Landscape and Nature

The Plan d’eau des Vignes is also a place for water-based activities. The Aqualoisirs base in Les Vignes offers six canoe routes ranging from 11 to 32 km in length. At the Plan d’eau des Vignes, Aqualoisirs also offers stand-up paddleboarding and pedal boating.

Culture and History

In the vicinity of Les Vignes, in Massegros-Causses-Gorges, is the Église Saint-Préjet, a Romanesque church overlooking the Tarn. It was associated with the former hamlet of Saint-Préjet, opposite the hamlet of Les Vignes, and belonged to the former municipality of Les Vignes. Since 10 December 2021, it has been fully registered as a historic monument.

Les Vignes owes its name to the winegrowing that took place there in the 18th century. The Pont des Vignes was built in 1838. The Chapelle Notre Dame de la Pitié was created in the 15th century from a house donated by a family, which was converted into a chapel by adding a bell tower. The Moulin des Parayres is a fulling mill that used the current of the Tarn to clean and degrease wool.

Hiking and Trails

The La Caxe hike begins in Les Vignes. It is a very difficult 11.6 km circular hike with 668 m of elevation gain and 667 m of elevation loss. The Sentier de l’Hironcel is a 3 km-long unmarked trail; as an out-and-back route, it covers 6 km. The Sentier d’interprétation du village is also unmarked and is 3 km long as an out-and-back route.

Les Vignes is also a stage on the GR736 Gorges et Vallée du Tarn and the GR6 Chemin de Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert. A geocaching hunt in Les Vignes uses plaques bearing letters installed in the village, from which a secret word in Occitan can be put together using clues.

Water and Orienteering

The canoe orienteering course at the Plan d’eau des Vignes includes 10 control points. An orienteering clue for the canoe orienteering course can be obtained from the tourist office or canoe rental providers.

Transport Connections

The MASSEGROS CAUSSES GORGES – LES VIGNES – Mon. Aux Morts bus stop is served by the Meyrueis–Millau route.

Other destinations can be accessed directly: Fontans, Châteauneuf-De-Randon, Marchastel, Antrenas, Le Bleymard, Mende, Saint-Symphorien, Chastanier.

To the higher-level travel overview: Lozère.