The best road cycling routes around Pardailhan

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.

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 church of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist bears witness to the gradual shift of the religious heart of Saint-Jean-de-Minervois. For centuries, parish life was linked to the Saint-Jean de Dieuvaille chapel, now nicknamed "the church of the Hole", isolated in a canyon between the hamlets of Gimios and Barroubio. At the beginning of the 18th century, the current village became the new center of the community, around this current parish church.

Clinging to a rocky outcrop almost encircled by the Jaur, Olargues is a remarkable fortified village whose medieval organization is still perfectly legible. At the summit, the former keep of the castle, transformed into a bell tower in the 17th century after the fortress was destroyed on Cardinal Richelieu's orders, still dominates the valley. Below, the Devil's Bridge, built in the 12th century, has spanned the Jaur for nearly nine centuries. Between the two, "calades" (cobbled alleyways) and old houses invite you to step back in time. It is easy to understand why Olargues is among the Most Beautiful Villages in France!

The D57 descends towards Riols through a quiet and shaded forest road, between gentle bends and the wooded atmosphere of the Haut-Languedoc. A pleasant section transitioning to the valley.

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.

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!

On the way to Assignan, a beautiful road to a lovely village. I wouldn't miss a cup of coffee here.