Larzac (, ), also known as the Causse of Larzac (French: '' Causse du Larzac''), is a limestone

karst Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...

plateau in the south of the Massif Central, France, situated between

Millau Millau (; oc, Milhau ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Aveyron Departments of France, department in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region in Southern France. One of two Subprefectures in France, subp ...

(in the

department Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

of Aveyron) and Lodève (in the department of Hérault). It is an agricultural area, where traditionally sheep produce milk for Roquefort cheese. Since the early 2010s, the agricultural production has largely diversified.

Geography

The communes of the Larzac are: * Cornus *

Creissels Creissels is a Communes of France, commune in the Aveyron Departments of France, department in southern France. Population See also * Millau Viaduct * Communes of the Aveyron department References

Communes of Aveyron Aveyron com ...

* La Cavalerie *

La Couvertoirade La Couvertoirade (; oc, La Cobertoirada) is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. Geography La Couvertoirade is located on the Larzac plateau. History and sites of interest This well-preserved fortified town was owned b ...

La Roque-Sainte-Marguerite La Roque-Sainte-Marguerite (; oc, La Ròca) is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. Lying deep in the scenic Dourbie gorge, the commune absorbed the formerly separate commune of St Verin in 1940, and it also incorporate ...

* L'Hospitalet-du-Larzac * Le Caylar *

Le Cros Le Cros is a commune in the Hérault department in southern France. Population See also *Communes of the Hérault department The following is a list of the 342 communes of the Hérault department of France. The communes cooperate in the ...

Les Rives Les Rives (; oc, Las Ribas) is a commune in the Hérault department in the Occitanie region in southern France. Population See also *Communes of the Hérault department The following is a list of the 342 communes of the Hérault department ...

* Nant *

Saint-Félix-de-l'Héras Saint-Félix-de-l'Héras (Languedocien: ''Sant Feliç de Leraç'') is a commune in the Hérault department in the Occitanie region in southern France. Population See also *Communes of the Hérault department The following is a list of the 34 ...

Saint-Georges-de-Luzençon Saint-Georges-de-Luzençon (; oc, Sent Jòrdi, italic=no) is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. The commune was part of the Rouergue province, where people communicated with a variation of the Occitan language, Rouergat. ...

Saint-Maurice-Navacelles Saint-Maurice-Navacelles (; Languedocien: ''Sant Maurise de Navacèlas'') is a commune in the Hérault department in the Occitanie region in southern France. Population See also *Communes of the Hérault department * Cirque de Navacelles * Vis ...

* Saint-Michel-d'Alajou * Saint-Pierre-de-la-Fage *

Sainte-Eulalie-de-Cernon Sainte-Eulalie-de-Cernon (; oc, Senta Aulària de Sarnon) is a commune in the southern French department of Aveyron. At the heart of the historic settlement is the Commandery of Saint Eulalia, a hospital (in the medieval sense of the word) e ...

* Sorbs * La Vacquerie-et-Saint-Martin-de-Castries *

Vissec Vissec (; Languedocien: ''Virsec'') is a commune in the Gard department in southern France. Population See also * Château de Vissec * Vis River *Communes of the Gard department This is a list of the 351 Communes of France, communes of the ...

The Larzac is served by junctions 46 to 51 of the A75 autoroute.

History

In October 1970, Michel Debré, then Minister of Defence, decided for strategic purposes to expand a military camp outside the village of La Cavalerie in the

of Aveyron, from 30 km² to 170 km², without consulting the local population. Local farmers objected and decided to fight against the project, through actions such as the occupation of empty farms purchased by the Army in anticipation of this expansion. French syndicalist and peasant activist José Bové moved there during this period in support of the protests. Communards from the nearby Community of the Ark, led by the pacifist

Lanza del Vasto Lanza del Vasto (born Giuseppe Giovanni Luigi Maria Enrico Lanza di Trabia-Branciforte; 29 September 1901 – 6 January 1981) was an Italian philosopher, poet, artist, Catholic and nonviolent activist. He was born in San Vito dei Normanni, ...

, were also very active in opposition to the camp. The workers of the occupied and self-managed LIP factory also took part in the movement. Following ten years of

nonviolent resistance Nonviolent resistance (NVR), or nonviolent action, sometimes called civil resistance, is the practice of achieving goals such as social change through symbolic protests, civil disobedience, economic or political noncooperation, satyagraha, cons ...

, the plan was cancelled by President

François Mitterrand François Marie Adrien Maurice Mitterrand (26 October 19168 January 1996) was President of France, serving under that position from 1981 to 1995, the longest time in office in the history of France. As First Secretary of the Socialist Party, he ...

after his election in

1981 Events January * January 1 ** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union. ** Palau becomes a self-governing territory. * January 10 – Salvadoran Civil War: The FMLN launches its first major offensiv ...

. Because of its history, the Larzac was chosen as the site of a massive meeting against the WTO which took place in August 2003. José Bové currently resides in the Larzac area; he secured nearly 500,000 votes in the

2007 presidential election This electoral calendar 2007 lists the national/federal direct elections held in 2007 in the de jure and de facto sovereign states and their dependent territories. Referendums are included, although they are not elections. By-elections are not i ...

. He became a Member of the European Parliament in

2009 File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...

Sights

Five medieval fortified villages, related to the

Knights Templar , colors = White mantle with a red cross , colors_label = Attire , march = , mascot = Two knights riding a single horse , equipment ...

and the Knights Hospitaller are located on the Larzac plateau: * La Cavalerie *

* Saint-Jean-d'Alcas,Saint-Jean-d'Alcas
/ref> part of the

Saint-Jean-et-Saint-Paul Saint-Jean-et-Saint-Paul (; Languedocien: ''Sant Joan e Sant Pau'' or ''Sent Joan e Sent Paul'') is a commune in the Aveyron department Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with speci ...

commune *

* Viala-du-Pas-de-Jaux

References

{{Authority control Plateaus of Metropolitan France Nonviolence Massif Central Landforms of Aveyron Landforms of Hérault