The Gorges de la Jonte are a short distance south of the more famous Gorges du Tarn, along the border between the Lozere and Aveyron departments to the east of Millau.
Although they attract less visitors than the Gorges du Tarn, and have less interesting villages to explore along the route, we highly recommend you also visit the Gorges de la Jonte between Le Rozier and Meyrueis.
Exploring the Gorges de la Jonte
We started at Meyrueis, an attractive town for a coffee break before you take the road towards the west that leads through the gorges.
The gorges themselves are very scenic with cliffs and steep forested slopes rising dramatically above the road, with the gorges up to 450 metres deep in places. There are several places with unusual rock formations such as stone arches, and are part of the Regional Natural Park des Grands Causses.
Apparently the Gorges de la Jonte are soon to be listed as a 'Grand site of France' which will undoubtedly bring more visitors to the region.
At Saint-Pierre-des-Tripiers in the gorges you can visit the Maison des Vautours, a rare chance to see vultures living in the wild in France. After becoming extinct in the country they were re-released in the Gorges de la Jonte in the 1970's, and are now one of the most popular attractions in the region.
Remarkably, since establishing these vulture nests in the area, other species of vultures from sub-saharan Africa have also started naturally migrating to the gorges.
The gorges are popular with cyclists and also there are many rock-climbing routes among the cliffs.
On leaving the main part of the Gorges de la Jonte at Le Rozier, you can cross the river to explore the small historic village of Peyreleau, and perhaps continue along the D110 that continues south of here towards Millau, and is also a scenic road
Attractions nearby
We also travelled along the Gorges de la Dourbie as part of the journey, between Millau and La Roque-Sainte-Marguerite, as part of the same tour. The entire round trip circuit including the Gorges de la Jonte and the Gorges de la Dourbie took about two hours driving time - plus rather a lot of time spent visiting attractions and taking photos - so a very pleasant day out.
See more scenic highlights in France. You can find more travel ideas in the Lozere guide and the Languedoc-Roussillon guide.
Photos of Gorges de la Jonte
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Map of Gorges de la Jonte and places nearby
Visit near Gorges de la Jonte with France This Way reviews
La Roque-Sainte-Marguerite
The tiny village of La Roque-Sainte-Marguerite, in the Gorges de la Dourbie, is well worth a pause to explore
La Roque-Sainte-Marguerite guide
Gorges du Tarn
The cliffs and deep wooded slopes of the Gorges du Tarn make it one of the most lovely places in France to explore
Gorges du Tarn guide
Meyrueis
The small rivers that meet in the centre of the town and the lively atmosphere in summer make Meyrueis a popular detour with those exploring the scenic highlights in Lozere
Meyrueis guide
Millau
The town of Millau is a lively traditional town, well worth a visit when you are exploring this region
Millau guide
Severac-le-Chateau
The highlights here in Severac-le-Chateau include the castle and the ancient vaulted passages in the historic centre
Severac-le-Chateau guide
Saint-Chely-du-Tarn
Saint-Chely-du-Tarn is in an idyllic spot within the western part of the Gorges du Tarn
Saint-Chely-du-Tarn guide... or see ALL recommended places to visit in Lozere
The French version of this page is at Gorges de la Jonte (Francais)