At the foot of the cliffs of the Gorges du Tarn, on the Causse de Sauveterre side, lie two troglodyte villages: Saint-Marcellin and Eglazines. These two hamlets, remote and inaccessible by road, were long inhabited in the past. Today, some of the houses are still occupied by their owners on sunny days. Accessible only on foot from the Saint-Marcellin hike, these villages, camouflaged as they are in the cliffs, are unique and remarkable in Lozère.
The troglodytic hamlet of eglazines gorges du tarn.The troglodytic hamlet of eglazines gorges du tarn.|
Troglodyte hamlets in the Gorges du Tarn
Discovering hamlets suspended between heaven and earth.All about
Troglodyte hamlets
The troglodyte village of Eglazines in the Tarn gorges.The troglodyte village of Eglazines in the Tarn gorges.|
St Marcellin troglodyte village walkSt Marcellin troglodyte village walk
Eglazines and the surrounding area.Eglazines and the surrounding area.
Troglodyte houses in the hamlet of Saint Marcellin in the Gorges du TarnTroglodyte houses in the hamlet of Saint Marcellin in the Gorges du Tarn
DID YOU KNOW?
What’s the difference between troglodyte and troglodytic? Troglodytic” refers to dwellings dug into the rock or underground on a mountainside, while “troglodyte ” refers to people living in this type of dwelling.
Saint-Marcellin
It’s hard to imagine when you visit the troglodyte hamlet of Saint-Marcellin that people have lived here since the dawn of time. There are poignant reminders of a bygone era: as you wander through the narrow streets of this unusual hamlet, you’ll be charmed by the houses carved out of the rock and the picturesque Romanesque chapel.
A pilgrimage takes place here every year in June. Until 1830, it was one of the most important pilgrimage sites in the Gorges du Tarn, and people flocked there to invoke the rain.
Overlooking the village, above a baume, you can see the remains of theold castle. It served as a refuge for the village’s inhabitants: accessible only by ladder, the ladder was removed in the event of an attack. The castle belonged to the de Mostuéjouls family, originally from the hamlet. They went on to become one of the most important families in Rouergue. They gave their name to the eponymous village a little further down the Tarn, where they built a castle.
The hamlet of Eglazines
Not far away, still in the Gorges du Tarn, the hamlet of Eglazines seems suspended in time. All around the village, you can still see the low walls used for farming on the slopes of the gorges. The hamlet was occupied until 1960, when its last inhabitant, an 80-year-old woman, decided to leave and move down to the valley.
View of the troglodytic hamlet of Eglazines.View of the troglodytic hamlet of Eglazines.|
DID YOU KNOW?
The word “troglodyte” comes from the ancient Greek, τρωγλοδύτης / trōglodutēs , meaning “one who dwells in holes”.
- How to get to the troglodyte villages?
The main hike to the villages of St-Marcellin and Eglazines is the “Saint Marcellin ” hike and the “troglodyte villages” hikes. You can also reach Saint Marcellin via a steep path leading down into the Gorges du Tarn (beside the road).
- Can you get to the troglodyte villages by car?
No, the troglodytic villages of Saint-Marcelin and Églazines are only accessible on foot: from the Gorges du Tarn road or from the hikes mentioned above.
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