Le Rozier: a village with dramatic scenery along the Gorges du Tarn

Le Rozier, a village with one hotel and 142 residents, is part of the incredible Gorges du Tarn, sitting right on the border between Aveyron and Lozère, where the River Tarn meets the River Jonte. 

The village owes its name to the monks of Hérault, who founded a priory here in 1075 and developed the cultivation of rose bushes (les rosiers) imported from Italy. 

Église Saint-Sauveur, with its chevet and chapel dating back to the 1100s, is all that remains of the monastery that once housed this community of Benedictine monks. 

Le Rozier is set in a dramatic landscape of rocky gorges that make for fabulous photographic opportunities. Look up and you will glimpse what appears to be a ruined château overlooking the village – this is Le Rocher de Capluc, a famous rocky formation at 587 metres altitude. 

If you have the energy and the courage, you can get some incredible views of the village and the valleys from here, as well as the chance to spot a griffon vulture and wild birds nesting on the cliff faces. Be warned: it takes around 40 minutes to clamber up here and is certainly not for the faint-hearted or for anyone with vertigo!

Outdoor activities

Le Rozier is particularly popular with those who love dramatic natural environments, and spring is a perfect time to visit. 

Hikers can explore the GR 736 walking trail, which starts at the source of the Tarn in Villefort, following the gorges until it ends in Albi. Walkers can enjoy 300 kilometres of hiking (allow two weeks) and be rewarded with some of the best views in France. 

There are plenty of opportunities for mountain biking and rock-climbing, and the rivers in and around the village are ideal for fishing and some adventurous canoe trips - look out for otters and beavers along the way.

A famous ‘broken bridge’ 

Le Pont de la Muse, spanning only partway across the river, is instantly recognisable for tourists, but it is also at the heart of local life, as most villagers have grown up swimming at the foot of the bridge. 

Despite being one of the most iconic and most photographed sites in the Gorges du Tarn, this bridge has only ever seen about 20 years of use in total.

Originally planned in 1838 to create a route from Millau to the villages in the Jonte Gorges and on to Meyrueis, construction began in 1851 and was completed in 1853, but severe floods in 1875 caused the bridge to collapse. 

It was rebuilt, but more floods in 1900 carried a wooden footbridge into the structure and it was severely damaged, eventually giving way under the pressure of the water. 

In 1907, a new bridge was completed downstream, and Le Pont de la Muse has remained in its interrupted form ever since. 

This is about to change as the bridge is now the focus of a huge renovation project, fronted by TV presenter Stéphane Bern, and funded by the Fondation du Patrimoine. 

Arnaud Curvelier has been mayor of Le Rozier since 2014, and from day one he has wanted to restore the bridge. The local authority bought the land, but raising the funds was an entirely different challenge until this landmark was selected by the heritage foundation as one of the projects to benefit from its funding. 

The plan is to fully restore the bridge and to add a footbridge, with construction due to be completed in June 2027, so if you want any photos of the ‘interrupted’ bridge as it currently stands, you’ll need to visit soon!