The best MTB trails around Saint-Jean-Et-Saint-Paul

Located in the heart of the Larzac plateau, in the Aveyron, La Couvertoirade is a superb fortified medieval city, ranked among the Most Beautiful Villages of France. Formerly owned by the Templars, then by the Hospitallers, it captivates with its 15th-century ramparts, its cobbled streets, its stone houses, and its Templar castle. Don't miss the church, the communal oven, and the lavogne, a traditional basin for collecting rainwater.

From the Larzac plateau, the Brunas site offers a vast panorama of the Millau valley. Stretched between the two banks of the Tarn, the viaduct with its seven concrete piers appears in its entirety. Behind it unfolds the entire causse Rouge, a large limestone plateau whose undulations dominate the valley. Then, the Puech d’Andan is distinguished by its wooded silhouette, cut in two by a clear central notch. Further to the right stands the Pouncho d'Agast, a pyramidal promontory marking the beginning of the causse Noir at an altitude of 841 m. Brunas is also a true site for free flight. The take-off area is located directly on the plateau; the site is mainly used with a north wind and allows paragliders to take off and then land in the vicinity of the same sector, with approximately 370 m of elevation difference down to the valley. The spectacle of the sails evolving in front of the viaduct adds a particular dimension to this panorama.

Isolated in the middle of the open landscapes of the Larzac, the fortified farm of Brouzes is a remarkable testimony to medieval rural architecture. The complex, whose construction began in 1491, is organized in a rectangle around three courtyards. It was later remodeled, notably in 1628, then in the 18th century. Behind its appearance as a large farm lies a true defensive architecture: the buildings are largely vaulted, a stable has loopholes, two towers reinforce the south side, and a dovecote tower as well as an old bread oven complete the complex. The farm nevertheless experienced a long period of abandonment. Uninhabited from 1922 to 1970, it was progressively looted and severely degraded. In the 1970s, an artist couple, Élisabeth and Claude Baillon, bought it and began its restoration. Their intervention largely contributed to saving the complex, which was finally classified as a historic monument in 1990.

Perché at an altitude of approximately 730 meters, the Cap de Coste viewpoint overlooks the eastern end of the Boundoulaou cirque. It reveals a vast panorama of the Millau basin and its surrounding massifs. To the left, the easily recognizable Millau Viaduct spans the Tarn valley, connecting the Larzac to the Causse Rouge. Further to the right stretches the latter: a large limestone plateau whose undulations dominate the valley. Then, the Puech d’Andan stands out with its wooded silhouette, cut in two by a clear central notch. Finally, further away, the Pouncho d’Agast, an emblematic relief of the Causse Noir, is easily recognized by its profile like a true limestone pyramid.

Entering La Couvertoirade, I discovered an incredibly well-preserved medieval village. The ramparts, narrow streets, and serene atmosphere make it a place where you naturally take the time to stroll.

Saint-Affrique itself, even though I only passed through quickly, it's already a small town, I didn't find any particular charm. It's not ugly, it's not particularly beautiful either. It has the merit of existing.

The Pas Destrech Cross, which the biker encounters here at the top, is a truly remarkable small sacred monument. Approaching it from behind, it appears to be made of black metal, but then you realize that this is only the basic framework for the wooden beams of the actual cross. Its shape is also rather unusual for a summit cross: the longitudinal and transverse beams, which are of equal length, are each provided with another short beam at the end, giving the viewer the impression of a square floor plan.

History and nature an ideal mix