: Mende

Mende is the capital of the Lozère department, the least populous in France, located in the Massif Central. It sits in the Lot River valley, surrounded by the high plateaus of the Margeride and the Aubrac. The medieval centre is dominated by its impressive Gothic cathedral, and it serves as the primary gateway to the spectacular Gorges du Tarn canyon.

Mende has a railway station with TER trains from Clermont-Ferrand (about 2 hours). By car, the N88 from Le Puy-en-Velay and the N106 from Nîmes.

Mende's historic centre is compact and walkable. A local bus network serves the broader town. A car is essential for the Gorges du Tarn and high plateaus.

The Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-la-Nef. The Musée du Gévaudan (Beast of Gévaudan). The Pont Notre-Dame and Tour des Pénitents. The Cévennes National Park and Gorges du Tarn.

Canoe the Gorges du Tarn. Hiking on the Aubrac and Margeride plateaus. Caving in the Dargilan Cave and Aven Armand.

Aubrac cuisine: beef, aligot, truffade, Roquefort. Trout from the Lot River.

Vérveine du Velay, herbal digestifs, Massif Central craft beers.

Modest range of hotels. Countryside gîtes and chambres d'hôtes. Campsites along the Lot River.

Aubrac beef, Laguiole cheese, Aligot, Gévaudan honey, Laguiole knives. Wild blueberries from the Margeride.

The Gorges du Tarn. Aven Armand and Dargilan caves. The Cévennes National Park. Millau and its viaduct.