Allier gorges

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L’Allier, one of France’s longer rivers (421 km) is also one of its least known, except for those in the know. Rising in the Southern Massif Central it flows north until it confluences with La Loire west of Nevers, whence the rivers continue their long journey to the Bay of Biscay as one.

Leaving the foothills of the Cevennes, the river gently flows through Lozere (48) toLangognewhere it enters the Haute Loire (43). From there it winds throughThe Gorges de Haut L’Allier,a series of dense, densely wooded valleys, 50 miles toLangeac,. There are few riverside settlements between, and no direct road. The best ways to see this magnificent wilderness are from the river itself, by rafting or canoeing down fromChapeauroux, or by train. The river here is a magnet for fishermen where trout and salmon abound.

FromLangognea road runs along the shores of thePlan de Naussac, a huge man made lake. At any season and time of day there are superb atmospheric views of the lake and surrounding mountains. Never crowded, this is one of the most peaceful scenes in the valley. After crossing a barrage fitted with environmentally friendly turbines that regulate water in the Allier and the lake, the D126 turns north-east back towards the river which it crosses on a narrow rusty cantilever bridge atJonnchereswhere a magnificent ruined mediaeval castle towers over ravine, bridge and level crossing. The road then climbs away from the river toRauretand shortly joins the D88. Turning towardsLe Nouveau MondeandGrandieutakes the traveller down a narrow valley to L’Allier and the main gorge, which it then follows closely through StMedardandLa MaisonBlanche to Le Nouveau Monde andChapeauroux. This stretch provides many fine panoramas of rapids, deep clear pools and a lengthy view of the PLM line from Clermont Ferrand to Nimes clinging to the cliff face opposite.

At Le Nouveau Monde the D31 rises steeply over 200 metres and round several hairpin bends toSt. Haon, giving magnificent vistas of the Gorge on the way up, especially of the twenty eight arch 448m long curved viaduct carrying the railway across the confluence of the Chapeauroux and L’Allier. From the top the twin villages of Le Nouveau Monde andChapeaurouxand the viaduct 200 metres below look like a model railway layout. A particularly spectacular view can be obtained from the tiny hameau of Le Thord.

Soon after St. Haon the D40 leads down through dense woods toAlleyras and Pont d’Alleyraswhere the road drops back to river and railway level. FromPont D’Alleyrasthe ‘Gorge’ road twists and turns, rises and falls toSt. Didier d’Allier , St. Privat d’Allierand on toMonistrol d’Allier, giving tantalising views of the river far below. Because of the steepnessof the gorge, neither St. Didier nor St Privat are actually on the river. From Monistrol the road undulates alongside and above the river throughPradeswith its sandy beaches to Langeac throughSt Julien des Chases, St Arcons d’Allierand Chadenac.

The railway line runs through some of the most beautiful and dramatic river scenery of any line in France; photographic opportunities are legion. There are numerous tunnels and in the gorge, only three stations, at Monistrol, Pont d’Allyras and Chapeauroux, the highest station on the line. How the line came to be built, the engineering difficulties overcome, the tunnels bored, countless viaducts, bridges and spectacular galleries built and maintained, in addition to establishing a new village, Le Nouveau Monde to house the navvies and engineers who built the line) is a fascinating story. In addition to one or two daily through trains (TER & Corail), a tourist train runs in season from Langeac to Langogne and back. It is a most spectacular ride, with reasonable refreshments available at both ends of the journey. In June there is usually a steam-hauled Sunday special. The SNCF web-site gives details of timetables.

In addition to the route described above many roads criss-cross the many hills and forests on either side of the Gorge. In addition, tributaries of L’Allier such as the Chapeauroux and L’Ance, are rewarding to explore, as are the upper reaches of the Loire which lies a few miles to the east.

The Chapeauroux Valley is particularly attractive, leading toLaval-Atger and Chateauneuf de Randon, Grandieuand theMargeridewhere there is a most unusual Bison Reserve. A little further on is the Mont Mouchet Memorial which includes a stunning museum, recording French Resistance to the Vichy Government and the Germans during the Second world War. Although few locals will talk about it, and those that will are becoming fewer by the year, there is a growing body of published works about the Resistance Movement in the L’Allier and Haute Loire valleys which were under the control of Vichy and occupied by the Germans from November 1942.

Many small sleepy villages high above the Allier Gorge have much interest, Romanesque Churches, painted, tile clad steeples, fromageries, visitor friendly farms (and some that are not); history and legend. The story of the Beast of Gevaudan is well documented, as is the journey recorded by Robert Louis Stevenson, (Travels with a donkey in the Cevennes - 1878). South ofLangogne, is the renowned Trappe de Notre Dame des Neiges, a Cistercian Monastery deep in the woods nearLa Bastide, where RLS stayed the night and had some interesting encounters. Remains of robber baron’s castles, les Seigneurs du Thord can be seen overlooking the gorge at St. Haon.

This is ‘high country’, with woods, mountains, plateau and valleys and huge views and skies above in every direction. The fauna includes red squirrels, deer, pine-martens, foxes and hares, while birds of prey soar, sweep and pounce on unsuspecting small mammals that include rabbits and stoats (ermine). The fields, limestone walls and cliffs house a wide range of flora, as do the extensive woods and forests where mushrooms abound in many guises– a naturalist’s and gourmet’s delight.

The weather is also worthy of study, dry hot summers (sometimes), very cold winters (usually); because the atmosphere is normally quite dry, frosts are few. When they do occur, especially after a mist, they are spectacular with trees and bushes having the appearance of giant white sticks of candy floss. Sudden and often violent ran and electrical storms are not uncommon, while ethereal mists frequently hover in the gorge in the early mornings. It is worth getting up early to see the trees in the valley, the puys of the Velais and the cathedral and statue of Notre Dame de France in Le Puy protruding out of the mist while everything below is wreathed in mist. The weather is as much a topic of conversation in the Haute Loire as it is in Britain.

Excellent centres to explore the Allier Gorges are Le Puy en Velay, Langogne, Langeac, Sauges, St Haon, Landos and Pradelles. Numerous official web-sites are available for specific interests.

(Author Terry Burke – September 2008 Pictures by Terry Burke)

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