The best MTB trails around Saint-Georges-De-Luzençon

Built between 1818 and 1821, the Lerouge bridge became one of the main structures for crossing the Tarn in Millau. It replaced the Pont Vieux, several arches of which had been destroyed by a flood in 1758, leaving the town without a permanent bridge for over sixty years. During this long period, crossing the Tarn was mainly done by ferry. The project was launched on the initiative of the prefect of Aveyron, d’Estourmel. The plans were drawn up by Pierre-Jacques Le Rouge, an engineer for the district. The first stone was laid on June 20, 1818, and the bridge was opened to traffic in January 1821. Its name therefore comes from its designer, not from the color of its stones. A curious detail: its construction was largely financed by private individuals, and a toll was collected until 1875. This tax even caused tensions with the inhabitants of Creissels, some of whom continued to cross the Tarn on foot or by boat to avoid paying it.

This place is the starting point of the Voie Verte which runs along the Tarn and leads to Creissels. You can discover the troglodytic village of Peyre in particular, a very pleasant forest section which, in places, forms a real green tunnel. Further on, you can enjoy a magnificent view of the Millau Viaduct.

From the Larzac plateau, the Brunas site offers a vast panorama of the Millau valley. Stretched between the two banks of the Tarn, the viaduct with its seven concrete piers appears in its entirety. Behind it unfolds the entire causse Rouge, a large limestone plateau whose undulations dominate the valley. Then, the Puech d’Andan is distinguished by its wooded silhouette, cut in two by a clear central notch. Further to the right stands the Pouncho d'Agast, a pyramidal promontory marking the beginning of the causse Noir at an altitude of 841 m. Brunas is also a true site for free flight. The take-off area is located directly on the plateau; the site is mainly used with a north wind and allows paragliders to take off and then land in the vicinity of the same sector, with approximately 370 m of elevation difference down to the valley. The spectacle of the sails evolving in front of the viaduct adds a particular dimension to this panorama.

Perched at an altitude of about 730 meters, the Cap de Coste viewpoint overlooks the eastern end of the Boundoulaou cirque. It reveals a vast panorama of the Millau basin and its surrounding massifs. To the left, the easily recognizable Millau Viaduct spans the Tarn valley to connect the Larzac to the Causse Rouge. Further to the right stretches the latter: a large limestone plateau whose undulations dominate the valley. Then, the Puech d’Andan stands out with its wooded silhouette, cut in two by a clear central notch. Finally, further away, the Pouncho d’Agast, an emblematic relief of the Causse Noir, is easily recognized by its profile like a true limestone pyramid.

Perché at an altitude of approximately 730 meters, the Cap de Coste viewpoint overlooks the eastern end of the Boundoulaou cirque. It reveals a vast panorama of the Millau basin and its surrounding massifs. To the left, the easily recognizable Millau Viaduct spans the Tarn valley, connecting the Larzac to the Causse Rouge. Further to the right stretches the latter: a large limestone plateau whose undulations dominate the valley. Then, the Puech d’Andan stands out with its wooded silhouette, cut in two by a clear central notch. Finally, further away, the Pouncho d’Agast, an emblematic relief of the Causse Noir, is easily recognized by its profile like a true limestone pyramid.

From this point at the foot of the structure, the regular succession of piers and guyed pylons can be particularly well distinguished. The deck, 2,460 m long, crosses the valley at a height of approximately 270 m above the Tarn. Pier P2, the tallest, culminates at 245 m, while the assembly formed by the pier and its pylon reaches 343 m: a height greater than that of the Eiffel Tower. This perspective also recalls the technical feat that the construction of the viaduct represented. The metal deck was assembled in sections from either side of the valley, then progressively launched across the void. The joining of the two parts was carried out on May 28, 2004, 268 m above the Tarn, before the official inauguration a few months later. An interesting detail can be discerned here: despite its exceptional dimensions, the structure appears remarkably light. This impression is not accidental. The viaduct was specifically designed to blend into the valley by limiting the visual impact of its structure, with a very slender deck and piers that branch out in a "Y" shape.

Absolutely worth seeing - view it from below and definitely join the architecture tour.

Classified among "The Most Beautiful Villages of France", Peyre stands on the right bank of the Tarn, leaning against the cliff of Causse Rouge, and is distinguished by its light-colored stone troglodyte houses, carved into the tuff rock, offering a breathtaking view of the famous Millau Viaduct.