Hotel des Voyageurs

Aven Armand

by GUYON

This cave was explored in 1897 by a locksmith, Louis Armand. It was open to the public in 1927.
It gathers 400 stalagmites which is the largest in the world (they say).
The size of the cave is sufficient to shelter Notre Dame de Paris.

To see more : look at the travelogue. It can be visited from End of March to early November. In Summer there is a long line of visitors.
Ticket : 7.30 euros (or 10 euros if you want to see also Montpellier le Vieux).

Lumps of bread

by JLBG

The covered market is now too small. Many booth are installed outside. Early in the morning, this baker, cooking traditional "boules" (bowl) of bread has set is tables right in front of the main entrance into the covered market. They smell sooo goood !

Close up on the prehistoric shelters

by JLBG

This picture is a close up on the prehistoric shelters. Digging has revealed that our ancestors have lived in these shelters, possibly temporarily. They have left a few artifacts. They might have been shepherds looking after their flock, or hunters that needed a temporary shelter.

Look down at the Eiffel tower !

by JLBG

This close up, allows to better see how the Millau viaduct compare with the Eiffel tower, in blue. The top platform (3rd level) of the Tour Eiffel is several meters lower than the roadway of the Millau viaduct. The highest structure (antenna) of the Tour Eiffel is much lower than the highest superstructure of the Millau viaduct.

Millau : the glove capital

by GUYON

"Millau"

Located in Aveyron, Millau is a (too) quiet city known to be dedicated to the gloves manufacturing.
It is also the key of the Causse du Larzac, a poor land on which nothing grows except a rare grass grazed by some sheeps. Nethertheless, the 106 countrymen who worked on the Larzac resisted against the French Army some years ago. The State wanted to transform the plateau into a military field and decided to evict the few inhabitants.
This affair became quickly a national concern : a huge manifestation with 100.000 demonstrators took place on this desert land. The landowners decided to sell to anybody their land by square meter. So the number of owners became so important the eviction were a too hard work.
Mitterand becomen President stopped the affair.
This so quiet city focuses the energy of the demonstrators. Jose Bove, an other rebel, took down the Millau Mc Do to protest against mondialisation.

"Millau : key of the Gorges du Tarn"

Millau is also the portal of the Gorges du Tarn and the Gorges de la Jonte.
Within one day, you can see both Gorges leaving Millau by route N9 (North) then D 902. At Les Roziers take the Gorges du Tarn as far as Ste Enimie. Then go to Meyruels, crossing the Causses Mejean. At Meyruels, take the direction of Les Roziers by the Gorges de la Jonte.
During your trip, do not miss : l'Aven Armand (a cave : see the page), Montpellier le Vieux (not a city but a park : see the page) and the cities and villages of the valleys.

"Millau : famous for its traffic jam"

Millau is also known to develop each Summer and the Week ends long lines of cars coming from North by motorway A 75 to reach the other motorway A71 to go to Montpellier, Sete, Beziers and the Mediterranean Coast.
So the highway A75 will be extended to join the A71 and for this purpose a huge bridge is under construction. It will be achieved on January 2005. Its length will be 2.5 Km.