La Cité de Pierres, an exceptional city

Martel and discoveries

This quote from Édouard Alfred Martel sets the scene: the Cité de Pierres is an exceptional, timeless place. A piece of unspoilt, wild nature in the south of Aveyron, where the environment is king. In the land of the Grands Causses, Édouard Alfred Martel not only discovered the region’s most beautiful underground caves. The explorer was also the first to bring to light the rocky chaos of Montpellier-le-Vieux, now known as the Cité de Pierres.

An explorer in the Cité

Let’s go back to 1884. Édouard Alfred Martel is 25 years old. Already well known for his discoveries in the Gorges du Tarn, he was invited for four days by M. de Barbeyrac (landowner on the Causse Noir) and M. de Malafosse (president of the Société Géographique de Toulouse) to discover the Cité de Pierres. It has to be said that since the end of the Middle Ages, the rocky chaos has gradually fallen into oblivion, making access difficult.

L’Acropole des Cévennes

In around 1854, an officer from the army’s geological service is said to have spent around ten days on the site. No reason to alter the site. From September 11 to 14, 1884, Martel criss-crossed the Cité de Pierres in all directions. The explorer fell under the spell of what he called the “new Pompeii” or the “Acropolis of the Cévennes”. In September 1885, he spent a further 11 days on the site and produced the first 10,000-scale map of the Cité de Pierres.

The first excursions

Conferences and publications contributed to the reputation of Montpellier-le-Vieux, but also to its accessibility. In 1886, members of the Club Alpin Français (French Alpine Club) decided to help build the first access and discovery trails to the natural site. The first guides were then able to offer tours of the Cité de Pierres. In those days, excursions started from the village of La Roque-Sainte-Marguerite, on the back of a mule. To complete the entire route (ascent from the Gorges de la Dourbie to the Causse Noir and back) took a full day.

A growing fame

The Riou Sec road, linking La Roque-Sainte-Marguerite to Peyreleau, was built in 1902, with the help of the Touring Club de France. It wasn’t until 1938 that the Société de l’Aven Armand (another local curiosity located on the Causse Méjean) opened a road to access Montpellier-le-Vieux from the hamlet of Maubert. It was at this point that tourism really began to develop on the site. Today, Montpellier-le-Vieux is recognized as one of Europe’s largest rocky chaotic landscapes.

On the big screen

The causse ruiniformes, which have all the makings of a movie set, have also made a name for themselves in the seventh art. Gérard Oury shot the cult scene “Ben dîtes donc” from the 1965 film La grande vadrouille, starring Bourvil and De Funès. It’s the gateway to Mycènes that is featured in this passage from the film, a gateway that will also be the starting point for some of the Trail de la Cité de Pierres trails, notably the children’s trail.

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Land of legend

The Cité de Pierres is full of stories and legends. Like the one that tells of three fairies from the garrigues of the south trying to escape from Mourghi, an evil genie. Amy, Amyne and Benjamine built a citadel with ramparts, palaces, bridges and squares, and planted trees, herbs and flowers. A universe so complex that Mourghi lost his way and gave up his hunt. The fairies enjoyed a long period of peace, before giving in to nostalgia and returning to the sun and sea. The city fell asleep in silence, but retains the memory of these three strange inhabitants. Like that strange atmosphere that awakens the explorer in all of us. Dreams are always present in Montpellier-le-Vieux.
Spéléo grands causses