Mende (Lozère)

Mende (Lozère) mini guide

Located at the northern end of the Parc National de Cevennes in the south of France, Mende, La Lozère benefits from being in the protected area of the Parc National. It is therefore in a beautiful setting for sports and many other activities. The protection of the park covers some 1,358,500 acres!

Cheeses and cooked cold meats are a speciality of the area.

Things to Do

Mende provides the perfect base for exploring the Lot Valleys and the Gorges du Tarn.

The steep slopes of the Causse de Mende rise above the town at more than 300 m/1,000ft high. No problem for the experienced climber! Another walk worth taking if you have any energy left is Mont Mimat, which offers fine views of Mende and the Lot valley.

There are many lovely restaurants in the town to enjoy a reasonably priced meal and during the times the restaurants are closed, youcan always locate a creperie or kebab shop very easily.

Although Mende is not a terribly big city, it does offer everything you could need in way of shops. It is worth remembering that the majority of the shops are closed between midday and 14h00. There is a market on Wednesdays and Saturdays in front of the Cathedral in Mende.

Places to Visit

• The Cathedral of St-Pierre - the majority of the structure dates back to the 14th century, however, the towers were added 200 years later. Aubusson tapestries dating back to 1708, beautifully decorate the interior. During the Middle Ages, Mende once owned the largest bell in Christendom, which weighed an astonishing 25 tons. However, during the wars of religion, this was destroyed in 1579. Now only the clapper remains (2.15 m/7ft long).
• Pont Notre-Dame - dating from the 14th century, this narrow bridge has withstood the test of time for nearly 600 years.
• The Musée Ignon Fabre - this historical museum is located within a 17th century house, which boasts a fine staircase.

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Guide point	Details
Department:	South of France and the Riviera > Languedoc Roussillon > Lozère >
Location:	Located at the northern tip of the Parc National de Cevennes in the south of France, north of Montpellier
Public Transport:	By Road Easily accessible on the N88 which runs off the E11. The simplest way to move around Mende is using public transport. Public transport here is cheap, it costs 1 euro from one side of the city to another and they are punctual. You have two lines, which take you where you want and you can get time tables at the tourist office. Reduction price for buying 10 tickets at once is 6 euros and you can buy it at the tourist office, two tabacco stores (tabac Françoise CHAPELLE and tabac Jocelyne SARTRE) and in bar Cafe de Commerce. By Air It is possible to fly from London with Ryanair to Rodez, Saint-Etienne, Nîmes or Montpellier airport and then rent a car or take a direct train or bus to Mende. By Boat The quickest ferry ports to Mende, if travelling from the UK are Le Havre or Dieppe. Each takes around 7.5 hours to drive from the port to Mende. Bringing your car may be a a slower option but at least you get to experience all thw wonderful countryside along the way.
Tourist information website:	http://www.ot-mende.fr/anglais/defaultanglais.asp
Tourist information contact email:	informations@ot-mende.fr
Tourist information switch board number:	+ 33 (0)4 66 94 00 23
Tourist information address:	Place Charles de Gaulle, BP83 - 48000, Mende, France
Quick links to accommodation:	Accommodation near Mende (Lozère) - Hotels in Mende (Lozère) Show accommodation in Lozère - Self catering in Lozère - Bed and Breakfast in Lozère properties with pools in Lozère -