Massif Central
The (; oc, Massís Central, ; literally ''"Central Massif"'') is a highland region in south-central France, consisting of mountains and plateaus. It covers about 15% of mainland France.
Subject to volcanism that has subsided in the last 10,00 ...
of France. The name is also applied to the surrounding countryside, which is properly called L'Aubrac in French. The Aubrac region has been a member of the
Natura 2000
Natura 2000 is a network of nature protection areas in the territory of the European Union. It is made up of Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas designated under the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive, respectively ...
network since August 2006. It straddles three ''
département
In the administrative divisions of France, the department (french: département, ) is one of the three levels of government under the national level ("territorial collectivity, territorial collectivities"), between the regions of France, admin ...
s'' (
Cantal
Cantal (; oc, Cantal or ) is a Departments of France, department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regions of France, region of France, with its Prefectures in France, prefecture in Aurillac. Its other principal towns are Saint-Flour, Cantal, Saint ...
,
Aveyron
Aveyron (; oc, Avairon; ) is a department in the region of Occitania, Southern France. It was named after the river Aveyron. Its inhabitants are known as ''Aveyronnais'' (masculine) or ''Aveyronnaises'' (feminine) in French. The inhabitants o ...
and
Lozère
Lozère (; oc, Losera ) is a landlocked department in the region of Occitanie in Southern France, located near the Massif Central, bounded to the northeast by Haute-Loire, to the east by Ardèche, to the south by Gard, to the west by Aveyron, ...
) and three ''
région
France is divided into eighteen administrative regions (french: régions, singular ), of which thirteen are located in metropolitan France (in Europe), while the other five are overseas regions (not to be confused with the overseas collect ...
s'' (
Auvergne
Auvergne (; ; oc, label=Occitan, Auvèrnhe or ) is a former administrative region in central France, comprising the four departments of Allier, Puy-de-Dôme, Cantal and Haute-Loire. Since 1 January 2016, it has been part of the new region Auverg ...
,
Midi-Pyrénées
Midi-Pyrénées (; oc, Miègjorn-Pirenèus or ; es, Mediodía-Pirineos) is a former administrative region of France. Since 1 January 2016, it has been part of the new region of Occitania. It was the largest region of Metropolitan France by are ...
and
Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon (; oc, Lengadòc-Rosselhon ; ca, Llenguadoc-Rosselló) is a former administrative region of France. On 1 January 2016, it joined with the region of Midi-Pyrénées to become Occitania. It comprised five departments, and ...
).
Geography, geology
Aubrac is a volcanic and granitic plateau that extends over an area of 1,500 km2. The volcanic eruptions occurred between 6 and 9 million year ago and were of Hawaiian type with fluid lavas. There are therefore no individual volcanic cones. The volcanic zone occupies the west side while the other part of the plateau is formed of granite. The average altitude is about 1,200 meters with the highest point at 1,469 meters (Signal de Mailhebiau) in the south. All the region has been eroded by glaciers during three glacial periods. The Aubrac includes four
glacial lakes
A glacial lake is a body of water with origins from glacier activity. They are formed when a glacier erodes the land and then melts, filling the depression created by the glacier.
Formation
Near the end of the last glacial period, roughly 10,0 ...
:
lac des Salhiens
Lac des Salhiens is a lake located in Lozère, France, on the Aubrac Aubrac is a small village in the southern Massif Central of France. The name is also applied to the surrounding countryside, which is properly called L'Aubrac in French. The Aubra ...
,
lac de Saint-Andéol
Lac de Saint-Andéol is a lake in Lozère, France, located on the Aubrac Aubrac is a small village in the southern Massif Central of France. The name is also applied to the surrounding countryside, which is properly called L'Aubrac in French. The A ...
,
lac de Souveyrols
Souveyrols lake is a lake in Lozère, France on the Aubrac plateau. It has a glacial origin. Its surface area is 0.016 km². On his banks, grows the spectacular plant named Ligularia sibirica
''Ligularia sibirica'' is the type species for ...
and
lac de Born
Born lake is a lake in Lozère, France, located on the Aubrac Aubrac is a small village in the southern Massif Central of France. The name is also applied to the surrounding countryside, which is properly called L'Aubrac in French. The Aubrac regio ...
. In the south, the highest summits of the Aubrac dominate the
Lot
Lot or LOT or The Lot or ''similar'' may refer to:
Common meanings Areas
* Land lot, an area of land
* Parking lot, for automobiles
*Backlot, in movie production
Sets of items
*Lot number, in batch production
*Lot, a set of goods for sale togethe ...
valley, which lies 1,000 m below.
Economy
Bovine breeding is the main activity on the plateau. Aubrac has its own bovine species called "Aubrac", which is well adapted to the environment. The cows are bred for their meat while, before the 1960s, they were bred for their dairy products. The milk was made into cheese in "burons" or " mazucs ", which are small structures in the middle of the pastures. Today, the majority of these structures are in ruin. The "
Laguiole
Laguiole (; ''La Guiòla'' in Languedocien) is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France.
It is known for its Laguiole cheese, which has an ''Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée'' (label of guaranteed origin), and as the birthplace ...
" (pronounced "Layole") cheese is now only made by a dairy in the village of Laguiole and resembles
Cantal cheese
Cantal cheese is an uncooked firm cheese produced in the Auvergne region of central France: more particularly in the ''département'' of Cantal (named after the Cantal mountains) as well as in certain adjoining districts. Cantal cheese was gran ...
.
The region is also known for its knife industry. It is here that the
Laguiole knife
The Laguiole knife (, locally ) is a traditional Occitan pocketknife, originally produced in the "knife city" of Thiers, source of 70% of France's cutting tool production, as well as the small village of Laguiole, both located in the Massif cent ...
By 1000 BC, the Celts had occupied the region. In the period of
Roman Gaul
Roman Gaul refers to GaulThe territory of Gaul roughly corresponds to modern-day France, Belgium and Luxembourg, and adjacient parts of the Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany. under provincial rule in the Roman Empire from the 1st century ...
, Gaulish tribes called Gabalians (Lozère) and Rutènians (Aveyron) occupied the area.
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and ...
stated that the Gabalians were survivors of the
Battle of Alesia
The Battle of Alesia or Siege of Alesia (September 52 BC) was a military engagement in the Gallic Wars around the Gallic ''oppidum'' (fortified settlement) of Alesia in modern France, a major centre of the Mandubii tribe. It was fought by ...
. Their capital Anderitum became
Javols
Javols ( oc, Jàvols) is a former commune in the Lozère department in southern France. On 1 January 2017, it was merged into the new commune Peyre-en-Aubrac.
. The Rutenians, who may have come from the
Danube
The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , pa ...
delta and who gave their name to the
Rouergue
Rouergue (; ) is a former province of France, corresponding roughly with the modern department of Aveyron. Its historical capital is Rodez. It is bounded on the north by Auvergne, on the south and southwest by Languedoc, on the east by Gévaudan ...
, became allied with
Vercingetorix
Vercingetorix (; Greek: Οὐερκιγγετόριξ; – 46 BC) was a Gallic king and chieftain of the Arverni tribe who united the Gauls in a failed revolt against Roman forces during the last phase of Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars. Despite h ...
.
In the early
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
Pagan
Paganism (from classical Latin ''pāgānus'' "rural", "rustic", later "civilian") is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Judaism. ...
rite Rite may refer to:
* Ritual, an established ceremonious act
* Rite of passage, a ceremonious act associated with social transition
Religion
* Rite (Christianity), a sacred ritual or liturgical tradition in various Christian denominations
* Catho ...
pilgrim
A pilgrim (from the Latin ''peregrinus'') is a traveler (literally one who has come from afar) who is on Pilgrimage, a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journey (often on foot) to some place of special significance to the a ...
Flemish
Flemish (''Vlaams'') is a Low Franconian dialect cluster of the Dutch language. It is sometimes referred to as Flemish Dutch (), Belgian Dutch ( ), or Southern Dutch (). Flemish is native to Flanders, a historical region in northern Belgium; ...
viscount
A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status.
In many countries a viscount, and its historical equivalents, was a non-hereditary, administrative or judicial ...
), survived after a fight in the area; out of gratitude to
God
In monotheism, monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator deity, creator, and principal object of Faith#Religious views, faith.Richard Swinburne, Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Ted Honderich, Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Ox ...
he built the Dômerie (hospital) at Aubrac. The village of Aubrac grew around the hospital.
The Dômerie was home to
monk
A monk (, from el, μοναχός, ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a person who practices religious asceticism by monastic living, either alone or with any number of other monks. A monk may be a person who decides to dedica ...
s and the knights of the
Order of Aubrac
The Order of Aubrac was a Military order (society), military order and hospital (''hôtel-Dieu'') chartered in the twelfth century. It operated in the Rouergue to protect and care for pilgrims on the Way of Saint James and the ''Via Francigena''.G ...
until the
French Revolution
The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...
. The monks fed and sheltered passing pilgrims, and rang a "Bell of the Lost" during times of snow. The rules of life at the Dômerie in
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
dating from the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
are available in an online version.
In the 11th century, a certain
Gilbert Gilbert may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Gilbert (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters
*Gilbert (surname), including a list of people
Places Australia
* Gilbert River (Queensland)
* Gilbert River (South ...
, who married
Tiburge
Tibors de Sarenom (French ''Tiburge''; c. 1130 – aft. 1198) is the earliest attestable trobairitz, active during the classical period of medieval Occitan literature at the height of the popularity of the troubadours.
Biography
Tibors is ...
, countess of
Provence
Provence (, , , , ; oc, Provença or ''Prouvènço'' , ) is a geographical region and historical province of southeastern France, which extends from the left bank of the lower Rhône to the west to the Italian border to the east; it is bor ...
, appointed himself count of Gévaudan. This Gilbert had a daughter,
Douce I, Countess of Provence
Douce I (also Dulcia or Dolça, called "of Rouergue" or "of Gévaudan") ( – 1127) was the daughter of Gilbert I of Gévaudan and Gerberga of Provence and wife of Ramon Berenguer III, Count of Barcelona. In 1112, she inherited the Counts of Prove ...
Count of Barcelona
The Count of Barcelona ( ca, Comte de Barcelona, es, Conde de Barcelona, french: Comte de Barcelone, ) was the ruler of the County of Barcelona and also, by extension and according with the Usages of Barcelona, usages and Catalan constitutions, of ...
, and brought him all the rights to Gévaudan, Aubrac, and Carladès.
The rule of the counts of Barcelona in Gévaudan gave rise to a serious argument with the
bishop of Mende
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Mende (Latin: ''Dioecoesis Mimatensis''; French: ''Diocèse de Mende'') is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in France. The diocese covers the department of Lozère.
The diocese was already in ...
, who considered himself lord and count of the country. After many local conflicts and the war between the lords of
Armagnac
Armagnac (, ) is a distinctive kind of brandy produced in the Armagnac region in Gascony, southwest France. It is distilled from wine usually made from a blend of grapes including Baco 22A, Colombard, Folle blanche and Ugni blanc, traditionally ...
Louis XI
Louis XI (3 July 1423 – 30 August 1483), called "Louis the Prudent" (french: le Prudent), was King of France from 1461 to 1483. He succeeded his father, Charles VII.
Louis entered into open rebellion against his father in a short-lived revol ...
this country lost its true identity. However, the pilgrim route to
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, in northwestern Spain. The city has its origin in the shrine of Saint James the Great, now the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, as the destination of the Way of St ...
has always brought many visitors.
Culture
Every last weekend of August, a literary festival takes place in Aubrac: Rencontres aubrac
Photo gallery
Image:Aubrac1.JPG, Aubrac landscape
Image:Aubrac2.JPG, Aubrac landscape
Image:Aubrac3.JPG, Aubrac town & country
Image:Aubrac4.JPG, Aubrac landscape
Alpuech
Alpuech (Languedocien dialect, Languedocien: ''Alpuèg'') is a former Communes of France, commune in the Aveyron Departments of France, department in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie region of southern France. On 1 January 2016, i ...
*
Anterrieux
Anterrieux (; oc, Antarrius) is a commune in the Cantal department in the Auvergne region of southern central France.
Geography
Anterrieux is located some 30 km south by south-west of Saint-Flour and 20 km west by north-west of Saint ...
*
Arzenc-d'Apcher
Arzenc-d'Apcher is a commune in the Lozère department in southern France.
Population
See also
*Communes of the Lozère department
The following is a list of the 152 communes of the Lozère department of France
France (), offic ...
*
Aurelle-Verlac
Aurelle-Verlac (; Languedocien: ''Aurèla e Verlac'') is a former commune in the Aveyron department in the Occitanie region of southern France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Saint-Geniez-d'Olt-et-d'Aubrac.
The inha ...
Chauchailles
Chauchailles (; oc, Chauchalhas) is a commune in the Lozère department in southern France.
See also
*Communes of the Lozère department
The following is a list of the 152 communes of the Lozère department
Department may refer to:
* Depa ...
*
Chaudes-Aigues
Chaudes-Aigues (; oc, Chaudas Aigas, ) is a commune in the Cantal department in south-central France. It is a spa town, famous for its hot spring waters.
Geography
The commune is situated in the Massif Central in Aubrac. Its inhabitants are ca ...
*
La Chaze-de-Peyre
La Chaze-de-Peyre (; oc, La Chasa de Peire) is a former commune in the Lozère department in southern France. On 1 January 2017, it was merged into the new commune Peyre-en-Aubrac.Condom-d'Aubrac
*
Curières
Curières (; oc, Curièiras) is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France.
Population
See also
*Communes of the Aveyron department
The following is a list of the 285 communes of the Aveyron department of France.
The commu ...
*
Deux-Verges
Deux-Verges (; oc, Las Verjas) is a Communes of France, commune in the Departments of France, département of Cantal in south-central France.
Population
See also
*Communes of the Cantal department
References
Communes of Cantal ...
Fau-de-Peyre
Fau-de-Peyre (; oc, Lo Fau de Peire) is a former commune in the Lozère department in southern France. On 1 January 2017, it was merged into the new commune Peyre-en-Aubrac.Fournels
Fournels (; oc, Fornèls) is a commune in the Lozère department in southern France.
See also
*Communes of the Lozère department
The following is a list of the 152 communes of the Lozère department of France
France (), official ...
*
Fridefont
Fridefont (; oc, Freidafònt) is a commune in the Cantal department in south-central France.
Population
See also
*Lac de Grandval
*Communes of the Cantal department
The following is a list of the 246 communes of the Cantal department of ...
*
Grandvals
Grandvals (; oc, Grandval) is a Communes of France, commune in the Lozère Departments of France, department in southern France.
See also
*Communes of the Lozère department
References
Communes of Lozère
{{Lozère-geo-st ...
*
Jabrun
Jabrun () is a Communes of France, commune in the Departments of France, département of Cantal and Auvergne (region), Auvergne Regions of France, region in south-central France.
Population
See also
*Communes of the Cantal department
Refer ...
La Trinitat
La Trinitat () is a commune in the Cantal department in south-central France.
Population
See also
*Communes of the Cantal department
The following is a list of the 246 communes of the Cantal department of France.
Intercommunalities
...
*
Lacalm
Lacalm (; Languedocien: ''La Calm'') is a former commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Argences-en-Aubrac.Laguiole
Laguiole (; ''La Guiòla'' in Languedocien) is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France.
It is known for its Laguiole cheese, which has an ''Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée'' (label of guaranteed origin), and as the birthplace ...
Maurines
Maurines (; oc, Maurinas) is a commune in the Cantal department in south-central France.
Population
See also
*Communes of the Cantal department
The following is a list of the 246 communes of the Cantal department of France.
Intercomm ...
*
Montézic
Montézic (; oc, Montasic) is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France.
Near the commune is the Montézic Power Station.
Charles de Louvrié, inventor of the jet engine, was born in the commune.
Population
See also
*Commu ...
Noalhac
Noalhac is a commune in the Lozère département in southern France.
See also
*Communes of the Lozère department
The following is a list of the 152 communes of the Lozère department of France
France (), officially the French Repu ...
Saint-Chély-d'Aubrac
Saint-Chély-d'Aubrac (; Languedocien: ''Sanch Èli d'Aubrac'' or ''Sench Eli d'Aubrac'') is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France about 7 kilometres from Aubrac.
Population
Location
The town is in a large and beautiful gre ...
Saint-Urcize
Saint-Urcize (; oc, Sant Urcise) is a commune in the Cantal department in south-central France.
Population
See also
*Communes of the Cantal department
The following is a list of the 246 Communes of France, communes of the Cantal Depart ...
Soulages-Bonneval
Soulages-Bonneval (; oc, Solatges) is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France.
Population
See also
*Communes of the Aveyron department
The following is a list of the 285 communes of the Aveyron department of France.
The ...
Trélans
Trélans is a commune in the Lozère department in southern France.
See also
*Communes of the Lozère department
The following is a list of the 152 communes of the Lozère department of France
France (), officially the French Repu ...