As we enjoy chestnut kir on a terrace with a view of the Tarn River in southern France, we overhear excited chatter from a neighboring table: “Look! It’s a beaver!” Below us, a beaver swimming upstream catches our attention. The clarity of the water allows us to see nearly every fish, frog, stone, and strand of weed without binoculars. This winding, emerald river flows from the Cévannes National Park to Moissac, just north of Toulouse, and supports a diverse ecosystem that includes trout, perch, carp, otters, frogs, toads, kingfishers, and herons. We can now add “beavers” to our list of observed wildlife.
Above us, large vultures have been gliding through the sky in groups of nine or ten, riding the thermals. When we aren’t watching the river or the sky, we are captivated by the various orchids lining the banks, including monkey, bee, military, butterfly, pyramidal, and fragrant orchids. We later learn that this area is home to 30 different varieties of orchids.
Taking advantage of the cooler microclimate created by the river and the deep gorge, we are trekking a five-day segment of one of France’s newest long-distance hiking trails. The GR736, which spans 300 kilometers and officially opened in 2023, stretches from the source of the Tarn to Albi. A significant portion of the route traverses the Gorges du Tarn, renowned as Europe’s longest and most spectacular canyon—a 33-mile limestone chasm with cliffs rising 500 meters above the river. This gorge is also a habitat for over 3,000 vultures, along with cuckoos, nightingales, red-billed choughs, and owls.
Alongside the remarkable wildlife, a variety of medieval towns, abandoned villages, deserted churches, crumbling castles, and remarkable architectural features can be found throughout the gorge. Many of these sites are accessible only on foot, often via narrow paths ingeniously carved into the gorge itself.
Our journey begins in Le Pont-de-Montvert, a vibrant historic town nestled among the expansive heathlands of Mont Lozère, the birthplace of the Tarn. For the initial two days, we traverse a desolate and windswept wilderness filled with menhirs, boulders, broom, and heather, before making our way down to wildflower-filled meadows and forests dominated by beech and pine trees. Each day, we walk approximately 10 to 15 miles, unencumbered by heavy backpacks, as our luggage is transported by a minivan that arrives punctually every morning at 9 a.m.
On the third day, as we descend into the gorge, we begin to encounter a variety of intriguing man-made structures. The first is Castelbouc, a semi-troglodytic village characterized by its narrow cobblestone streets and overlooked by the ruins of a castle perched on a steep spur.
We then briefly cross the gorge to reach Sainte-Enimie, celebrated as one of France’s “plus beaux villages,” with steep cobbled lanes lined with golden-hued houses adorned with pink roses. The village thrives largely due to the road that hugs the gorge’s right bank. Next, we return to the left bank, where a narrow footpath winds beneath a refreshing canopy of chestnut trees. Our overnight stop is in the restored village of Saint-Chély-du-Tarn, which features an original village bread oven, a waterwheel, a 12th-century church, and a tiny chapel carved into the rock. Dinner at the Auberge de la Cascade, the village’s sole dining option, consists of trout sourced from the Tarn and ice cream made from local châtaigne, a sweet chestnut that is a key ingredient in the region’s specialty aperitif, kir à la châtaigne.
The next day’s hike through the gorge has a distinctly prehistoric ambiance, thanks to the sulfur-yellow rocks, thickly moss-covered tree trunks, and towering ferns. In the hamlet of Hauterives, we come across a cable-and-basket system used for transporting goods over the river, suggesting someone lives in this remote location. After a few miles of ups and downs, we arrive at the riverside town of La Malène, where we unwind in a flat-bottomed boat while a professional batelier named Clément guides us four miles downstream, pointing out beaver families residing every half-mile and four types of vultures (griffon, black, bearded, and Egyptian), whose young will take flight during the summer months.
Clément disembarks us at Cirque des Baumes, where we climb the nearly vertical bank using a series of ropes, an exhilarating challenge. Here, we discover yet another eerily deserted village with miniature houses precariously perched on limestone platforms. Signs of domestic life, such as laundry hanging on a line, indicate that someone resides in this ghostly village, despite the absence of electricity, gas, or running water.
Continuing our walk, we pass by miles of neglected retaining walls that once supported terraced orchards of cherry and chestnut trees, now inhabited by deer, boars, pine martens, and muskrats. After a refreshing swim in the river, we make our way to Les Vignes and our delightful hotel, Le Parisien, adorned with pink-and-white striped walls, vintage photographs, and antique brass beds. The chef, Amélie, expresses her hope that the new GR736 trail will attract more visitors to the area, revitalizing these dwindling villages.
On our final day, the gorge gradually broadens and flattens into a lush valley filled with gnarled trees draped in rich moss, while glistening black volcanic stones scatter across our path. We follow the river to where it meets the Jonte, spending our last evening in Peyreleau, designated as “une petite cité de caractère.” We explore the ancient cobbled streets and visit medieval churches and towers that offer expansive views of the surrounding landscape.
