Travel Guide Le Malzieu-Ville

Known as the pearl of the valley, Le Malzieu has preserved much of its historic heritage and has made the most of it. A few sections of the ramparts, of which the inhabitants were so proud, still remain, having successfully protected them from the misdeeds of the Beast of Gévaudan. A square tower-porch and two cylindrical towers remain, one of which houses the tourist information office and whose spiral staircase leading to the parapet walk can still be seen. The enlightened amateur will find some resemblance with the Templar cities of Larzac. But isn't this a stage on the way to Santiago de Compostela? In the center, behind the church, the Horloge tower is the former belfry of the medieval château, which served as a prison during the Wars of Religion. Nearby, the Governor's House and its tower date from the same period. On the other hand, the beautiful houses, with their granite-framed doors topped by triangular pediments, date from the 17th century and owe their construction to the zeal of a local apothecary: at a time when the plague had wreaked enormous havoc, he recommended burning the houses of the plague victims in order to purify the area. The sanitary fire destroyed most of the town! When it came time to rebuild, these houses with their beautiful facades were built.The visit can be completed with a swim at the beach on the Truyère or at the summer swimming pool. Once you've dried off, continue your walk to the menhirs of Pinjo Chabre (near Mazeirac) and Pouor Negro (near Julianges). Passing through Verdezun, you can take a step back in history by visiting the remains of an ancient 11th-century Romanesque church. The better-preserved church at Prunières, part of the La Chaise-Dieu abbey, was built and fortified in the 12th century, and features frescoes and a superb Saintongeois-style bell tower-wall with three openings (one of the oldest in France). It is a short distance from the medieval site of Apcher, where the castle of the Lords of Apcher once stood. Only a few remains have been preserved: the square tower and a 13th-century Romanesque chapel; its lower hall serves as an exhibition space for the results of excavations carried out in the surrounding area. The Apcher site is also famous for its Virgin Mary. From here, a wide panorama opens up over the Margeride. To the north, towards Le Puy, lies Paulhac. A martyred village during the Second World War that has since been rebuilt, it also paid a heavy price when the Beast of Gévaudan devoured five of its inhabitants.