Page 485 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - France

18 bridge over the River Jaur. To
the east, Lamalou-les-Bains
Parc Naturel Régional is a small spa town that has a
EAT du Haut Languedoc soporifically slow pace.
! E6 ⌂ Hérault, Tarn To the northeast of the park
L’Entre-Pots ~ Béziers £ Béziers, Béda­ are some spectacular natural
phenomena. At the Cirque de
An atmospheric old rieux @ St­Pons­de­ Navacelles, the River Vis encir-
vigneronne serving Thomières n St­Pons­ cles an entire island and the
delicious seasonal, de­Thomières; www.parc­ peaceful village of Navacelles.
regional food. haut­languedoc.fr
The Grotte des Demoiselles
! E6 ⌂ 8 ave Louis­ From the Montagne Noire, a is one of the best in the area
Montagne, Pezenas mountain ous region between with an abundance of caves.
¢ Jul & Aug ∑ restau Béziers and Castres, up into A funicular train takes visitors
rantentrepots.com
the Cévennes is a land scape of to the top of the mountain.
¡¡¡ remote sheep farms, eroded The Grotte de Clamouse
rock formations and plunging is also extraordinary, with its
Le Divil river gorges. Much of it is now under ground rivers and pools
With Dalí-inspired décor the Parc Naturel Régional du reflecting flickering light onto
and a menu to delight Haut Languedoc, one of the the cavern roofs. The Spéléo-
carnivores, Le Divil has largest French regional parks. park offers caving.
few rivals in Perpignan. You can enter the park at
! D7–E7 ⌂ 9 rue St-Pons-de-Thomières, with Grotte des Demoiselles
Fabriques d’en Nabot, access to a wildlife research "-= ⌂ St-Bauzille-de-
Perpignan ¢ Sun & Mon centre with mouflons (wild Putois, Ganges # Hours
∑ restaurant­le­divil­ mountain sheep), eagles and vary, check website ¢ Jan,
66.com wild boar, once a common 25 Dec ∑ demoiselles.com
sight around the region. Other
¡¡¡
access points are St-Chinian, Grotte de Clamouse
Revel, Castres and Lodève. "-= ⌂ Route de
Atelier & Co Taking the D908 from St- St-Guil hem-le-Désert,
Treat your tastebuds Pons, you pass the village of St-Jean-de-Fos # By appt
with Bouzigues oysters Olargues with its 12th-century ∑ clamouse.com
and mussels fresh
from the Étang
de Thau.
! E6 ⌂ 98 zone
Conchylicole Ouest,
Loupian ¢ Oct–Mar
¡¡¡

a superb example of 11th- to
12th-century Roman esque
architecture. Its lovely apsidal
chapels domi nate the heights
of the village, behind which a
doorway leads to a square.
In the church is a sombre
barrel-vaulted central aisle
leading to the central apse.
Two gal leries of the cloisters
remain: the rest are in New
York, along with carvings from
St-Michel-de-Cuxa.

Sunset over the tranquil
Parc Naturel Régional du
Haut-Languedoc
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