Hericlea Hotel Sport

The school of music

by JLBG

The entrance into the school of music is in the modern glass building. The old buildings of its surrounding and the covered market reflects themselves on the glasses, which makes a "melting pot" of ancient and modern architecture !

Fruits, spices, etc...

by JLBG

Many booths are on the nearby square (Place Foch). On the other side of the Place, they sell fresh fruits and vegetables. On this side they sell dried fruits and spices of every kind. They are all loose and sold by weight. It is much less expensive than what is packaged !

The Porte de Mycènes

by JLBG

The archway is quite impressive. It is more than 15 m high. It has been called "la Porte de Mycènes" (Mycene Doorway) by Martel himself and has kept this name. Actually, if you think of the arches of "Arches National Park", the Porte de Mycènes will only look impressive following European standards !

Unfinished viaduct

by JLBG

This photo, taken on May 21st 2004 should be one of the last of the viaduct before its completion on May 28th. However, though the road way will be complete at this date, it will not open to traffic before December 17th 2004. For more, look at Ouverture viaduc and at Viaduc de Millau

Aven Armand

by GUYON

"Stalagmites"

Some look like piles of pancakes, or cauliflowers or cactus or sheeps.
Your imagination and your fantasy allow to see what you want to see.

"How an Aven is produced"

An Aven is a special type of cave, typical of the Causses.
First of all, it needs a cave in the limestone of the Causse made by underground waters. And suddently, the ceiling of the cave collapses, the rain run off enters in the hole forming the stalagtites and stalagmites.
There are 250 known avens in the Causses. Few can be visited.
The hole on the picture is a neighbor of Aven Armand of which hole is on the parking of the attraction.

"Cablecar"

There is a tunnel of 200 meters which allows to reach the cave with a cablecar.

"The track"

A track allows to go close to the stalagmites.
A guide comments the visit and lights the stones with a remote control.
Pay attention to the temperature especially if you visit the cave in Summer. It is 11 or 13° c. Have also good shoes because there are some steps and the soil is wet.

"Stalagmites / Stalagtites"

A way to memorize in French the difference between : stalagmites and stalagtites (they are the same words in French).
StalagMite : il Monte (it climbs)
StalagTite : il Tombe (it falls)

"Beatiful drape"

"A high stalagmite"

This one is 30 meters high.
Within 300.000 years it will reach the ceiling.
I can't wait....

"Don't touch"

Don't touch the stones.
This stalagmite is protected against the vandals who want to bring a piece of stalagmite certainly to forget it in a drawer.