Home
Find a stroll
Contact

  Walk : quite easy MB : slightly difficult Riding : slightly difficult Ski : impossible Handicapped : impossible

  Flora : trees and forest Earth : panorama Patrimony : Middle Ages

Photo album

Mende - L'Ermitage de Saint-Privat

Next record

 Office de tourisme Mende - http://www.ot-mende.fr, contact : informations@ot-mende.fr 

 

A hike in the region Languedoc-Roussillon

A hike on the heights of Mende, place of Sunday walk offering several panoramas on the city of Mende and the Lot valley. A pilgrimage takes place every year in the Hermitage of Saint-Privat.


1- In front of Saint-Ilpide home, take the opposite road, towards the road of the oratory. Continue and pass a parking on your left.
2- Continue on the road which leads to the oratory of Saint-Ilpide (see photo). After the oratory, continue up to a junction of paths.
3- Pass a few stairs made with logs and continue on a narrow road which runs on the hillside. Arrived at a small clearing, continue quite straight ahead up to a wide track. Continue on this way which goes along the Lot valley on 3 Km. Pass under the cliff of Moses up to the intersection between several tracks.
4- Take the track which rises on your left-hand side. Continue on this winding track up to reach the hamlet of Chaumette.
5- Cross the hamlet, continue on the left road and walk quite straight ahead. Arrived at a small road, cross it to cut the bend.
6- Take on your right up to the hermitage of Saint-Privat (cross under the porch).
7- Take the track which is on the left of the hermitage. Go down on the Way of the Cross. After the last stele, take the bend on your left-hand side, it will lead you to the intersection of the 3rd section.
8 and 9 - Take the same way as sections 1 and 2, but in opposite direction, up to the point of departure.

Information

General points

  • Geographic situation. District : Mende (department Lozère)
                                       Road map with
  • Starting point : Place of foirail, at Saint-Ilpide home.
  • The length of the stroll is estimated at 9,4 Km and the walk duration is about 3 h .
  • The stroll is marked out all along
  • Stroll form : dual (one part as a loop, the other one linear)
  • Stroll relief : hilly (alt. mini = 745 m ; alt. maxi = 1026 m)
  • Maintenance : frequent (brushwood clearing at least annual)
  • Exposure : half-shaded (forest and glades)


Noteworthy places

Ermitage de Saint-Privat. Saint-Privat evangelized the country of Gévaudan in the IIIth century. He was tortured in the time of the emperor Valérien or Gallien (he died between 257 and 260). His body was transported in several places and in 1170 the bishop Aldebert III of Tournel brought back his remains in the primitive crypt of the cathedral. The religious wars and the Revolution removed partially the relics, what remains is kept in the Hermitage church. A pilgrimage takes place there every summer.
La grotte du Mont Mimat. The cave situated on the right of the hermitage has been always a place of cult. A bishop and a chaplain settled down as early as the XIIth century.
Forêt Domaniale de Mende. The wood is a part of the National Office of Forests. Originally, it is a mixed forest of downy oaks and scots pines. The beech can be present on the heights.
Le Rocher de Moïse. This cliff is registered on the list of the Classified Sites.
Oratoire de Saint-Ilpide. This small oratory was built on the place of a former chapel. It was dedicated to the martyr Saint-Ilpide contemporary of Saint-Privat. Its relics were saved in the Revolution and brought to the hospital of Brioude. Recognized in 1809 and 1828, they were transferred in the church of Saint Julien de Brioude.


Maps

IGN 2638 E, Carto Exploreur 48 SUD.


Bibliography

Mende et ses environs à pied entre Margeride et Causses. (Coll. Les Départements de France à pied. Fédération Française de la Randonnée Pédestre).

Download the PDF document of the hike

Wait a little, meanwhile the PDF document being sent. You can open it with the application Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you haven't yet installed this software, you can download it from Abobe's site

Download Acrobat ReaderAcrobat Reader

Download the routePDF document


Download the waypoints file

You can download the waypoints file, which can be used with CartoExploreur or with a GPS.
Further information about waypoints...

Download the waypoints filewaypoints file

Mende - L'Ermitage de Saint-Privat
(code number : MENDE001)
French version NetRando : discovering, escapism, all hiking pleasures