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Espalion's Situation |  |
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| the Aubrac Mountain |
| The
Aubrac moutain is the most southern volcano in Auvergne. This volcano reaches
its highest point on the " Signal de Mailhebiau" (1469m).
The southern side, on the Lot valley, has the most slopes. The streams going down
Aubrac to the Lot River take a generic name of " boraldes" until Espalion and
" coussanes" after the town. The northern town of the valley is formed with a
lot of limestone " puechs" (pikes), premises of the Causses's area. |
| the Causse |
| In the southern part of the Lot valley begins the area of the Great Causses formed with limestone plateaus. The Causse of Lanhac, around Bozouls village, is continued near Rodez with the Causse of Comtal. Like on the schist northern side with its limestone " puechs", the limestone southern side is pierced with volcanic chimneys, the " necks" of Calmont and Vermus or the " dyke" of Roquelaure.  "
neck" of Calmont |
| the Lot Valley |
| The Lot River dug its valley between the limestone area of the Causses and the volcanic area of Aubrac. This situation gave a great wealth in mineralogy to this region. The Lot valley is formed with a succession of little basins linked with gorges. |
| the Town |
| The town was developed around a bridge situated on a forced passage of the river between 2 rocky areas: the " Roc de l'Arche" and the " Roc Magnus" on which the " Vieux-Palais" was built. This passage divides in 2 parts the basins contained between the 2 dams of Castelnau and Golinhac. Upstream of Espalion, the first half-basin near St Côme where Aubrac's streams are named ' boraldes" and downstream, the second half-basin near Estaing where Aubrac's streams are named " coussannes". There is another curiosity: names of villages have the suffix "d'Olt" upstream of Espalion, but not downstream. list |
