Lying on the southern side of the volcano, the Carladez is a verdant terrace with a view of the lead of Cantal and the Aubrac plateau. With the commitment of its inhabitants, it has been able to create its own identity: the Land of imaginary trails. Nature will be your playground in all its forms: walks, cycling, swimming, starry skies. A fun and unique experience awaits you.
Le Carladez is a secret place, at the very north, tip of the Aveyron department, nestled between the Monts d'Aubrac and the Volcans du Cantal. Outside the main roads, in a preserved landscape, a very Auvergne architectural heritage of basalt and granite, you don't go through the Carladez, you come there.
Take a step aside, get to the point in a generous nature
The Carladez is a preserved plateau, it allows you to step aside, to be sometimes out of time and out of the din of the world: green hills rising from a mountain territory dotted with centuries-old burons, to an ancient terroir vineyard organized in terraces. Nature is generous everywhere. From where the very agricultural vocation of Carladez, territory of breeding, where products of excellence are tasted in particular in meat and cheese.
the paths of the imagination
While keeping your feet on the country lanes, the Paths of the Imagination, by appealing to our child's soul, invite us to disconnect.
- The magical forest
- Water
- Fire
- The wind
- Stone
- The meadow
Each path of the imagination highlights a natural dominant of its village. They tell and express the vitality and the particular spirit of Carladez. Go for a walk on the easy paths along which local know-how, sculpture, the art of illumination can be discovered. The Sentiers de l'Imaginaire are a family favourite.
Hyphen between Auvergne and Occitanie, a dual Arverne and Rouergate culture
When you are from Carladez, you have the honor of being both Rouergat and Auvergnat
The origin of the word "Carladez" comes from Carlat (village located 20 minutes from Mur-de-Barrez in Cantal) and its gigantic basalt table, site on which the seigneurial family of the same name erected around the tenth century a castrum. In the XNUMXth century, the viscountcy of Carlat, erected into a county. The Viscounts of Carlat had authority over the lands which stretched from the Monts du Cantal to the Gorges de la Truyère.
When the departments were created, the region was split in two: Carladès for Cantal and Carladez for Aveyron. The heritage therefore reflects the Carladez's attachment to the nearby Auvergne, but our melodious accent will remind you of our belonging to the Aveyron.
Village atmosphere and houses of character
The villages are on a human scale, and have managed to keep alive: you will find local producers, cheerful country markets, and everywhere a welcoming and warm population.
An architecture adapted to a land of snow
The use of local natural resources characterizes our architecture. The slate which covers houses and barns comes from shale quarries, its weight (100 kg per square meter on average) explains the sloping roofs so characteristic, thus allowing a better distribution of the load on the walls. The black basalt houses, this volcanic stone made it possible to insulate from the temperatures via the construction of thick walls.
By gravitating 15 minutes around Mur-de-Barrez, the town center, all the villages of Carladez are of interest: Brommat, Lacroix-Barrez, Murols, Taussac and Thérondels. Explore our villages on foot or by bike!
Logbook: alternate the atmospheres
- Feet in the water peninsula of Laussac
- Forest bathing at Taussac
- Medieval streets and bustling Thursday morning market in Mur-de-Barrez
- Enjoy the freshness of a stroll along the stream at Bromat
- Low angle view of the lava flow at Lacroix Barrez
- Mountain atmosphere and cheese tasting at Therondels
- Panorama of the Truyère gorges and the life of Valon Castle
on land, in the air, on horseback, in the water, on snowshoes: outdoor sports in all their forms
How can you resist the urge to walk the country lanes? As a family or for the more athletic, you will have the choice between:
- hiking (16 circuits).
- la orienteering, discover these routes designed for little legs in search of adventure (5 adult races and 3 children).
- the bike (mountain biking and cycle tourism).
- climbing (50 channels).
- a short ride in the air in a hot air balloon or microlight
- Don't miss the 6 Paths of the Imagination, an original walk.
- And on horseback? The Carladez is paradise for walks on horseback, two service providers offer you incredible discoveries of the territory.
Do not hesitate to ask for our climbing, cycling and hiking topos in our tourist information offices.
The Carladez: a wealth linked to the history of bougnats
In Carladez, you will be struck by the quality of the restorations of the building. We owe it in particular by the wealth brought back to the country by the “Aveyron diaspora”, the famous bougnats whose region provided entire contingents.
It was between 1830 and 1840 that the poorest peasants left on foot in the direction of Paris in the hope of a more pleasant standard of living than in the Aveyron countryside where famine was rife.
In Paris, they go from carrying water to carrying coal in Parisian buildings. During this time, the women who distribute fouace and coffee are gradually entering the world of café owners. From the kitchens, they move into the dining room and slowly become managers and then owners of large establishments such as the Café Flore for example. This economic and social rise gives the Aveyronnais the opportunity to build up a rich heritage and when the next generation is assured, to return to the country where they were born and take their first steps.
The return to the land is for some a second professional career, and the money from the cafes is reinvested in family farms, which allows a small revolution in the mechanization of agricultural work. The houses also benefit from beautiful renovations, made with respect for old buildings and ancestral know-how.
This link with Paris is still strong, it is economic: Aubrac meat is savored at many tables, but also cultural: the openness to the world of young people in our countryside passes through this privileged link with the capital, and the “expatriates” strive to bring our “art of living” to life beyond North Aveyron.
