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 about 400 m and opposite the Causse Méjean. Below the village, in the heart of the Gorges du Tarn, is the Plan d’eau des Vignes, where you can cool off. Part of the Les Vignes area lies within the Natura 2000 zone “gorges du Tarn,” a special area of conservation identified as FR 9101378.
Traces of village and industrial history
The name Les Vignes recalls the winegrowing that took place here in the 18th century. Buildings with a history of their own include the Pont des Vignes, built in 1838, and the Chapelle Notre Dame de la Pitié. It was created in the 15th century from a house donated by a family and converted into a chapel by adding a bell tower.
The Moulin des Parayres also tells of an earlier use of water: as a fulling mill, it used the Tarn’s current to clean and degrease wool. Near Les Vignes, in Massegros-Causses-Gorges, stands the Romanesque Église Saint-Préjet. It overlooks the Tarn and was associated with the former hamlet of Saint-Préjet, which stood opposite the hamlet of Les Vignes. The church, which belongs to the former commune of Les Vignes, has been fully listed as a historic monument since December 10, 2021.
Geocaching in Les Vignes offers another way to discover the village’s history. Plaques placed around the village bear letters that can be assembled into a secret word in Occitan using clues.
Compare hiking trails by length and difficulty
When planning a walk, it is worth comparing the listed route details. The Sentier d’interprétation du village is unmarked and covers 3 km as an out-and-back route. The also unmarked Sentier de l’Hironcel is 3 km long; 6 km is listed for the round trip.
Considerably longer and rated very difficult, the La Caxe circular hike measures 11.6 km, with 668 m of ascent and 667 m of descent. The hike starts in Les Vignes. Check the route details before setting out. Les Vignes is also a stage on the GR736 Gorges et Vallée du Tarn and the GR6 Chemin de Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert.
Plan d’eau des Vignes and canoeing options
You can cool off at the Plan d’eau des Vignes. Aqualoisirs offers stand-up paddleboarding and pedal boating there. The Aqualoisirs base in Les Vignes also offers six canoe routes ranging from 11 to 32 km. Availability, equipment and offerings may vary seasonally, so check the information relevant to your visit.
If you plan to try the orienteering course by canoe at the Plan d’eau, you’ll find 10 checkpoints there. You can get a course map at the tourist office or from the canoe rental providers. This makes it easy to see the route options and the orienteering course as different ways to spend time on the water.
Getting there by bus
The MASSEGROS CAUSSES GORGES – LES VIGNES – Mon. Aux Morts stop is served by the Meyrueis–Millau route. If you plan to travel by bus, check the timetable for your travel date.
Discover more destinations: Saint-Chély-D'apcher, Auroux, Chaudeyrac, Moissac Vallée F., Saint-Symphorien, Saint-Germain-Du-Teil, Marchastel, Florac.
For the broader travel overview: Lozère.
