The Ségala (; oc, Segalar) is a geographical region that straddles the border between the departments of

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 Tarn, in the

Occitanie Occitanie may refer to: *Occitania, a region in southern France called ''Occitanie'' in French *Occitania (administrative region) Occitania ( ; french: Occitanie ; oc, Occitània ; ca, Occitània ) is the southernmost administrative region of ...

region of southern

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. It is known as the land of a hundred valleys- and traditionally grew the grain for all of Aveyron.

Geography

The Ségala is deeply valleyed region lying between 200 m and 800 m between the valley of the

Viaur The Viaur () is a river in south-western France. It is a left tributary of the Aveyron. Its source is in the southern Massif Central, north of Millau. It flows generally west through the following departments and towns: * Aveyron: Pont-de-Sala ...

and the valley of the

. The valleys are deep and wooded, while the summits and the plateau are dominated by pasture land used for the raising of high-quality beef.

Geology

The underlying rocks are schists which leads to acid soils. The soils are light and thin, and were unproductive before the opening of the railway with the Viaduc du Viaur, which allowed lime to be brought in. Liming neutralised the soil opening it up to agriculture.

Villages in the Ségala

Tourist destinations and monuments

* Balsac * Rignac *

Ambialet Ambialet () is a commune of the Tarn department in southern France. Ambialet's castle was a stronghold of the Cathars and was sacked during the Middle Ages by Simon de Montfort. It is also home to a study abroad campus of Saint Francis Universi ...

Château de Belcastel The Château de Belcastel is a medieval castle in the village and commune of Belcastel, Aveyron, Belcastel, in the Aveyron ''département'' of France. It is situated above the north bank of the river Aveyron (river), Aveyron, downstream from Rodez ...

* Sauveterre-de-Rouergue

Bibliography

* '' Au cœur du Ségala tarnais'', in ''Revue du Tarn'', n° 223, automne 2011 -in French

References

External links

Le Ségala - in FrenchLe Ségalawww.cc-segalacarmausin.fr - in French
{{DEFAULTSORT:Segala Geography of Aveyron Geography of Tarn (department)