Meyrueis travel guide

Visit Meyrueis (Occitanie, France)

The town of Meyrueis is in the heart of the countryside of south-west Lozere in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of southern France, and close to the border with both the Aveyron and Gard departments.

Exploring Meyrueis

Although it is only a small town, Meyrueis is pleasant to explore and in a picturesque location surrounded by steep wooded slopes: while visitors are typically in the region because of the scenery you will also enjoy a stroll around this lively town, which is an excellent place for your lunch break or coffee break!

The centre of the town is quite dominated by small rivers, being at the confluence of the Jonte, Béthuzon and Brèze rivers, and it is these rivers and the numerous small bridges that set the atmosphere.

Near the confluence of the rivers you can also see the clocktower which is where you can also now find the Meyrueis tourist office. The clocktower was rebuilt in the 16th century on the foundations of an earlier tower that had been destroyed during the Wars of Religion.

In the old town you can also see several impressive houses that date from the 16th to the 18th centuries.

On a rocky outcrop on the hill high above the clocktower you can also see a small chapel, the Chapelle Notre-Dame du Rocher, built in the late 19th century on the site where a medieval castle stood from the 10th century until the 17th century. We recommend you take the road up to the chapel to see the views across the rooftops of Meyrueis.

The principal attraction of Meyrueis is undoubtedly its pleasant holiday atmosphere - there are very few towns in this region and here you can find numerous restaurants along the riverside, making Meyrueis a practical base when you are exploring the gorges and caves of the Tarn, Lozere and Aveyron.

Attractions and places to visit close by

With the Grands-Causses and the Gorges de la Jonte to the west, Mont Aigoual to the south-east, the Gorges du Tarn to the north and the Gorges de la Dourbie a short distance to the south, it is clear that the main attraction of the region around Meyrueis is the scenery and countryside. Although the Gorges du Tarn are the most impressive of the gorges, a trip along the Gorges de Jonte is also highly recommended.

We suggest you follow a route that starts from Millau, travels along the Gorges de la Dourbie to La Roque-Sainte-Marguerite, then crosses the plateau to reach Meyrueis before turning towards the west along the Gorges de la Jonte then returning to Millau which makes for a very pleasant excursion.

Between Meyrueis and La Roque-Sainte-Marguerite you can visit the Grotte d'Argilan, also known as the pink cave and one of the most impressive in the region, entrance price about 9 euros. Even if you are not going in the caves you can park in their car park and follow a short botanic path along the gorges that starts in front of their ticket office.

Another popular attraction close to Meyrueis is the cave system at Aven Armand, one of the most popular in this region. You can see many stalactites and stalagmites, including the 30 metre high 'Grande Stalagmite', which at 30 metres high is clamied to be the tallest known stalagmite in the world.

You can find more travel ideas in the Lozere guide and the Languedoc-Roussillon guide.