Florac, Gateway to the Cevennes
Far too many people rush by this charming town in their rush to get to the Cevennes National Park and the indescribably beautiful Tarn Gorge.
In the next few blogs we’ll explore this magnificent region that lies about an hour to the west of Uzes, which far too few visitors ever visit. People of the Uzeges know better, and when the weather gets hot they head into the mountains where the air is fresh, the streams and rivers crystal-clear and loudly gushing, the pace of life even slower than in Uzes, and the kind of views that bring you to a halt.
In a way, the Cevennes mountains can be considered Secret France’s…secret France.
Florac was built upon a crossroads. Just a few miles out of town, the road will lead you to the Tarn Gorge, the kind of place that superlatives cannot do justice. Turn right part way there and you’ll find yourself in the northern Cevennes: wild and rugged, a place of menhirs and dolmens, isolated villages, and Le Pont Montvert, where a bishop’s murder set the region aflame with religious conflict. And if you continue driving straight you eventually arrive at Mende, the capitol of the region; the area that the Beast of the Gevaudan terrorized.
It is this crossing of roads that led to Florac being established.
This is not the kind place to come to if you’re in a hurry, or if you’re the kind of person who ticks off the “sights.” Instead you should take a seat on a bench and let the beauty of the place wash over you. After all, that’s the idea of a vacation, isn’t it?
Afterward, you can enjoy a wonderful lunch alongside the river that runs through the town. And when that’s done, you can explore the town at your leisure.
But the one thing you shouldn’t do, is rush.
Florac’s castle is understated and elegant, and its rounded turrets are an instant giveaway that it was constructed after the Crusades (and before cannons began to be used; round turrets being designed to deflect the force of cannon balls).
Florac has two small squares, and there is a certain charm to exploring its center, where all the shops are to be found. The town is more of a “poking around” kind of place. You wander up and down its narrow streets, and poke your nose in this alleyway, or that passage.
Trompe l’oeuil on this little square is representative of Florac’s gentle appeal. But it offers so much more. A beautiful trout stream splits the town, and there is a very nice, quite verdant walkway along the upper reaches of the town.
Come lunchtime, there are two excellent restaurants that we know of. (Contact us if you’re headed there and we’ll share the info with you.) The first, which is located just off the main street, offers hearty country food and is located off the main street—and serves aligot!!!
Aligot deserves three exclamation points. From the Tasting Table Blog:
“Meet the new Instagram sensation: aligot. The word might be tough to pronounce, but the ingredients are easy to understand. It’s the ultimate stick-to-your-ribs comfort food, blending whipped mashed potatoes with melted cheese. Traditionally made with Cantal or Tomme, the dish originated from the Mid-Pyrenees in the south of France.”
How to describe it? Think glue. Now…admittedly, that might not sound altogether appealing. But it’s amazing. Aligot is basically tons of cheese and garlic and potatoes, with delicious country sausages to the side.
The other restaurant is located at the edge of the stream, just off the upper square, and offers top-level cuisine at country-level pricing. We cannot recommend it highly enough. It’s one of our favorite restaurants. (And also has an automatic toilet that will leave you in stitches.)
The wind in the trees. The sound of water working its way downstream. The soft sun on your face, and the sight of the impressive Cause Mejean that looms over the town. This is Florac.