Walk to the Roquesaltes farm, on the Causse Noir, moments of sharing between visitors and the rural world

Devant Roquesaltes avec l’âne et les brebis. Midi Libre – Romane Levi

L’office de tourisme de Millau organise une balade sur les hauteurs du causse Noir. L’occasion de rencontrer les exploitants de la ferme de la Combe autour d’une dégustation de leurs produits.

The meeting point is on the Causse Noir which stretches as far as the eye can see (200 km2 to be precise). Fabrice Zamuner welcomes the holidaymakers who have come to take part in the walk by telling them about these emblematic mountains of the region.

“Wherever you are in France, the word causse means that you are walking on limestone. This means that a very long time ago there was a sea here. A very long time ago, that is to say about 180 million years. The particularity here is that the geological attribute has become the name of the region: the Grands Causses Regional Natural Park.

The group is heading towards Roquesaltes. Midi Libre – Romane Levi

These latter group together four causses, the black one being the smallest. “It owes its name to its wooded vegetation, which gives it, unlike the Larzac or the Causse Méjean, a dark color”, specifies the head of activities at the Millau tourist office. “As we are taught at school, geology is super boring. However, it offers us a journey through time and space”, reveals, passionate, Fabrice Zamuner.

The Grands Causses, true biodiversity reserves

The walk is also an opportunity to observe the regional flora and fauna. As one of the walkers points out, the vegetation is this year behind seasonal norms, due to the low temperatures recorded in the spring. “We can still find bellflowers and everlasting flowers that we don't usually see blooming much at this time of year”, explains the guide.

Olivier Loyde, sheep breeder and his dog Pirate.

He also specifies: “Contrary to what the peeling appearance of the causse in summer might suggest, we have one of the greatest biodiversities in France.” The Grands Causses have around 4,500 different plant species, or 25% of all European flora, starting with boxwood.

A thousand-year-old shrub, “it is a noble wood that we hold dear because it is one of the hardest in the world. Throughout history, carpenters have made tools from it,” mentions the specialist.

The shaping of landscapes by agropastoralism

Pastoralism has played a key role in the creation of contemporary landscapes. For 5,000 years, shepherds have been grazing their animals on the vast expanses of the Grands Causses, resulting in deforestation of the environment and enrichment of the soil.

“We are listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a”cultural landscape of agropastoralism, i.e. the interaction between pastoral activity and landscapes”, adds Fabrice Zamuner.

Up high to admire the sheep. Midi Libre – Romane Levi

Meeting with two sheep farmers

The country and gourmet walk is also an opportunity to chat with local farmers. “The aim of these hikes is to create a link between the rural world and visitors, so that they can learn more about their reality”, explains the guide. After visiting the famous rocks of Roquesaltes, the breeder Olivier Loyde welcomes the group with his 240 meat sheep and two goats.

Vanessa Danglot joins the troupe with Nintendo, one of their donkeys trained to accompany holidaymakers on hikes. To conclude this walk, the holidaymakers delighted their taste buds with a tasting of products from the Combe farm, which recently converted to organic farming. A successful experience, repeated on August 6.

Tasting of farm products. Midi Libre – Romane Levi

Next walk on Tuesday, August 6 at 6 p.m. (meet at the parking lot of the Roquesaltes site in Saint-André de Vézines). Price: 10 euros upon reservation at the Millau Grands Causses tourist office on 05 65 60 62 04 or on the website: www.millau-viaduc-tourisme.fr 

 

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