The best road cycling routes around Prémian

The former Saint-Pons Cathedral It is difficult to understand Saint-Pons-de-Thomières without stopping here. The building is the former abbey church of a Benedictine monastery founded in 936, around which the town developed. In 1318, the abbey became the seat of a new bishopric: the church then took on the status of a cathedral, which it retained until the Revolution. The Romanesque building, most of which dates back to the second half of the 12th century, still bears the traces of this turbulent history. Fortified in the Middle Ages, the cathedral was heavily damaged in 1567 during the Wars of Religion. Then, in the 18th century, its appearance was profoundly transformed: in 1716, the orientation of the choir was reversed and a new classical facade was built to the east. The medieval remains are particularly remarkable: the two crenellated towers on the north facade recall the defensive character of the building, while the former west facade preserves precious Romanesque reliefs depicting, in particular, the Last Supper, the Washing of the Feet, the Ascension and the Crucifixion. Inside, there are also marble decorations, choir stalls and an organ dating from 1772.

The church of Saint-Sébastien de La Caminade is one of the last vestiges of the ancient heart of Prémian. Under the patronage of Saint Sebastian, it is mentioned as early as 940, when it was given to the abbey of Saint-Pons-de-Thomières. The place of worship is therefore much older than the building visible today. The Wars of Religion profoundly disrupted the site: in 1567, after the passage of Protestant troops, the church was described as "looted and razed". The current building was then rebuilt for the most part at the beginning of the 17th century. Its single nave has five bays and ends in a short choir bay and a three-sided apse. But the interest of the place also lies in its surroundings. With the old presbytery and the old town hall-school, the church forms one of the last preserved ensembles of La Caminade, the historic heart of Prémian. This name itself is attested as early as 1116 and derives from the Occitan caminada, which could designate a presbytery or a rectory.

In the heart of the village stands the church of the Invention of Saint Stephen (l’église de l’Invention-de-Saint-Étienne), named in reference to the discovery of the relics of Saint Stephen, the first martyr of Christianity. The current building mainly dates from the 18th century, but its bell tower base is older. Its bell, cast in 1719, bears witness to this long history. Around the church, ancient tombs covered with flagstones also remain, a characteristic element of the funerary heritage of the Hautes Terres de l’Hérault. The village itself was formerly called "Mas de l’Église" and depended on the neighboring parish of Prémian. It was only after the Revolution that Saint-Étienne-d’Albagnan became an independent commune.

The Saint-Vincent church preserves the memory of an ancient presence of the Knights Hospitaller of Saint John of Jerusalem. Saint-Vincent-d’Olargues was indeed home to an important commandery of the order, attested as early as the 12th century and attached to the commandery of Narbonne from 1157. The church itself retains elements of Romanesque origin, probably dating from the last third of the 12th century: a nave of three bays with a broken barrel vault and a choir ending in an apse. It was subsequently extensively remodeled, notably by the addition of chapels and then collateral aisles. In the 18th century, a bell tower-porch was built to the south. Its lintel still bears the initials "O.G." and the date 1744, those of the commander Octave de Galléan d’Ascros. Inside, there is above all an exceptional piece: the Hospitaller cemetery cross. Dated from the end of the 15th or the very beginning of the 16th century, it was formerly located in the center of the old cemetery established under the current church square. Classified as a Historic Monument in 1911, this marble carved cross is among the rare examples preserved in France.

From Fraise the climb is steep and the road is bumpy. I would not advise this as a descent.

Located in the Jaur valley, in the heart of the Hauts cantons of the Hérault, Riols is a vast rural village typical of the Haut-Languedoc. The village is intimately linked to the history of the abbey of Saint-Pons-de-Thomières, founded in the 10th century, on which it long depended. From the Middle Ages onwards, Riols was part of a network of monastic possessions. Even today, the old center retains its valley setting, crossed by the Jaur, around which the main routes and activities developed. The Pont-Vieux and several structures on the river bear witness to this close relationship between the village and its watercourse.

One of the 3 magnificent lakes in the South-East of Tarn. Although artificial, it catches the eye with its wild appearance. Worth seeing on sunny days or to escape the heatwave

This wide turn reveals a superb panorama of the mountain. In the foreground, the D14 winds up the slope with beautifully drawn switchbacks. Further on, several characteristic reliefs of the Haut-Languedoc stand out, succeeding each other to the horizon. One of the most beautiful panoramas of the ascent!