DiscoverHauterivesThe hamlet at the end of the world

Hauterives

Discover the hamlet of Hauterives in the heart of the Gorges du Tarn, just a short distance downstream from Saint-Chély-du-Tarn on the river’s left bank. This hamlet, only accessible on foot via the GR736 Gorges et Vallée du Tarn or from the river, is a must-see during your stay in Loz&egrave;re.

Getting there

Hauterives hamlet maisons pierres gorges du tarn

Discover the hamlet of Hauterives

in the Gorges du Tarn

The hamlet of Hauterives has a special charm: there is no bridge or road access. Goods are transported in a small basket, while the men cross the river in a boat or follow a path on the left bank. Like La Croze and La Sablière (two hamlets downstream from the Gorges du Tarn), this ancient hamlet is a vestige of a time when the Gorges du Tarn road did not yet exist. In those days, it didn’t matter whether you settled on the left or right bank, as villages were reached by river or by vertiginous paths leading down from the Causses.

A strategic location

caussenard houses and a castle

This hamlet is strategically located: out of the reach of the Tarn’s floodwaters, at the time it didn’t encroach on the terraced cultivation surrounding the hamlet. The architecture of the village is typical of the caussenard style, and the houses have retained their original features: all built of limestone, vaulted and covered with lauze. The ruins of the Château d’Hauterives can still be seen in the hills. Very difficult to access, this fortress protected the Causse Méjean during the Middle Ages, keeping watch over the valley.