Around Espalion

 
 
 
 
Map of sites
How to find them?
(infos/places in vicinity)
Bonneval Abbey
In 1144 Guillaume de Calmont, Cahors's bishop, put at Rodez's bishop's disposal a land in Pussac to install a Cistercian monastic community. Monks, come from Mazan abbey in Ardèche, preferred a more wild and lonely place in gorges of a " boralde" ( torrent) to built their monastery.

This abbey came one of points of way for pilgrims who stopped off at it. It was, like Espalion Church of Templar and Aubrac monastery, one of main economic actors of the region, with possession of Galinieres farm. On the little road to go to abbey, we can see one of its fortified barns: the tower of Masse.

Bonneval suffered from One Hundred Years war, but it was ruined by French Revolution. It was pillaged, its monks were scattered and its lands were sold. Left in a state of neglect, it fell in ruins, invaded by vegetation.
Michael archangel
St Bernard
The great expansive impulse in XIXth century reached Bonneval and in 1875 Maubec abbey nuns undertook to rebuild it with support of the cardinal Bourret. In 1878 nuns installed a chocolate factory and live today selling their products to visitors.
All pieces of information about that monastery:
Look for its website

Bonneval's Our Lady
Carnéjac Chapel

The date of it foundation is unknown. It was built on the path from Perse monastery to the Roman way.

The present chapel, consecrated to St John the Baptist like the two Espalion's churches, was rebuilt in 1661, around 20m farther than it first place.

The two sculpted capitals are in same technique from the Perse's and no doubt were executed by the same craftsmen.
Flaujac

The Flaujac village was mentioned for the first time in 1162.
In 1442 The Calmont' lord gave permission to inhabitants to build a fortified enclosure to take refuge. Today the remains constitute a remarkable fortified village and it's highlighted by the Fortress of Flaujac Safeguard Association with a little museum showing a model of the fortress.
All pieces of information about that monastery:

Look for its website

 
door of fortified village
Lava Flow near Roquelaure

Incorrectly named " lava flow", these fallen rocks are formed by volcanic rocks coming from collapse of a basaltic chimney broken by erosion. These fallen rocks of Roquelaure are also found under Calmont and Vermus summits, others lava solidified chimneys.
 
Calmont "clapas" (fallen rocks)

These fallen rocks stretch upon northern side of the Calmont castle, but also exist on the southern side.
Sarcophagi of Costevieille
We find on summit of Costevieille, near the GR 65, five sarcophagi dug in a rocky place. Perhaps they are witnesses of presence on this summit of a little coenobitic community with some hermits. In land register this area is named "Temple" but we have no explanation for that name.
n°1: the best preserved
dimensions
lenght: 1m 80, width: from 0m 36 to 0m 51,
depth: 0m 40, direction: Est-Ouest
n°2: this left side is broken
 
n°3: the smallest (1m 74)
4 and 5:

the twins

They are side by side on the edge of GR 65 in it tarmac part, while three others are in a neighbouring field. They are the longest (1m 95)
n° 4 
n° 5
St Pierre of Bessuéjouls Church

The church is composed of 2 different parts: on the one hand a pre-Romanesque church tower, on the other hand a construction of the XVIth century.
The church tower has, in its upper part, an "overhead" chapel consecrated to St Michael. It has an altar with sculpted figures and 4 sculpted capitals.
the altar of the "overhead" chapel
the culpted capitals
siren with a double tail between two centauri
(there is the same capital in Conques chuch)
the modillions

Virgin Statue on the Vermus pike
On the Vermus volcanic pike is a Virgin statue made by Louis Castanié, an Aveyron sculptor. Her hands were broken
When the statue was put, Espalion and St Côme peoples wanted it was turned to their city. This problem was solved turning its eyes to halfway of the two villages, fixed onto Aubrac and the ravine of the " boralde" (torrent) which separated the two communes.
One of hands is kept in Vaylet museum.

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