Roquesaltes, in the footsteps of shepherds and their animals

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Emotion Canoë

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A jewel of a farm

From Saint-André de Vezines, on the Causse Noir, the rocky chaos of Roquesaltes can be reached via a carriage track, then a few hundred meters on foot.

Recovered from neglect, the Roquesaltes farm bears witness to the ingenuity of Causse builders: wooden channels collecting rainwater and feeding cisterns dug into the rock, stone vaults from basement to attic (and yes, there’s no timber on the Causse), majestic lauzes roofs (500kg/m²!), ground-floor sheepfold (jasse), covered balcony as entrance (balet), paved courtyard, etc… This farm is an architectural gem.

At its peak, a dozen inhabitants occupied the farm.

Under the large walnut tree, a few picnic tables invite you to take the time to observe each stone, the harmony of this building, and imagine life in days gone by…

Did you know?

Since 2011, the Causses & Cévennes have been listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for their cultural landscapes of agropastoralism.
Since 2018, the Parc Naturel des Cévennes has been awarded the prestigious label of International Starry Sky Reserve, the 2nd largest in France and the largest in Europe!

Second life

In 1920, there were still nearly 80 ewes in Roquesaltes, along with 1 goat and a dog called Lapin! Barley, millet and buckwheat were also grown… In 1937, the last inhabitant left, but the agropastoral soul of Roquesaltes is still very much present.

Since 2020, flocks of ewes once again occupy the Roquesaltes site and a smile can be seen on many of the inhabitants of the gorges and causses.

2 types of pastoralism coexist: some flocks come to graze from their neighboring farm (agropastoralism: livestock + hay and cereal production); others roam, following the richness of the grass and shrublands.

Did you know?

But aren’t there any sheep here?! Sheep are like people: when they’re hot, they take a nap in the shade. So don’t expect to see any sheep on the vast causses under the summer sun. You’ll have to get up early, or put off your evening aperitif, to see them on the range.

A magical forest of stones

If from afar, arriving by the airstrip, Roquesaltes offers a vision of Dantesque rocks, of monolithic fortress, it’s quite a different matter once at the feet of these stone giants. If only they could tell us their story(s)!

What a magnificent and disorienting landscape, not to say disconcerting. Watching the sunlight tint the rock, playing shadows and light with it is a sight to behold!

The Sentier du P’tit Berger lets you explore, in a fun way, these boulders sculpted by nature and the life that surrounds them. Mini 100% nature challenges to try out with the whole family. A great moment of sharing, simple, fun on a course of about 800m without physical difficulty.
These facilities have been created with the help of the Aveyron department as part of its policy of Espaces Naturels Sensibles.

It’s worth the detour

Dog on vacation vs. dog at work

Your dog, on a leash, is welcome to join in the adventure, and can of course poke around this strange forest in his own way!

Snuggling up to you in a little built-up balsam, jumping over rocks, crossing stone tunnels, observing the panorama with his nose in the wind… How nice all this is!”

On the other hand, toutou, just like you, are on sheep trails. The herding dogs on site – border-collie or patou – work, protect the flocks, dissuade insistent “intruders”, bipedal or quadrupedal…

Stay on the path, observe the flock from a distance, wait until you’re invited to approach to do so, avoid shouting/bark, pick up your waste and droppings… simple gestures and the holidaymaker – worker cohabitation will be all the more beautiful.

Discover the patous comic strip and the good gestures to adopt

“Between the shepherd and his dog, there is only a difference in humanity, that a flea would jump.” Jules RENARD

Meeting with a shepherd

Marianne is one of the éleveuses – bergères who leads her flocks to Roquesaltes, like her father a few decades earlier. Coincidentally, she too has a goat among her sheep. Mélisse, the border-collie, watches over the herd and listens with ear and eye to Marianne’s instructions.

In summer, Marianne takes part in accompanied agropastoral walks in Roquesaltes, and talks passionately about her job, her history with Roquesaltes, ewes, herding dogs, vultures (Marianne is also the godmother of a lammergeyer recently released in the Gorges de la Dourbie)…

A captivating and engaging encounter that continues, as always in Aveyron, with a little tasting of 100% local products, in a magical place.