East of Le Puy lies the barrier of the mountains of the Vivarais, rounded and wooded with beech, pine and fir, interspersed with open cow pastures. The highest points are the Gerbier de Jonc (1551m) and Mont Mézenc (1753m), with long views west across the whole of the Massif Central.The Gerbier is a curious mound rising out of the otherwise flattish surrounding uplands, about 50km southeast of Le Puy, with the River Loire rising on its upper slopes. To get out there, take the D535 through MONASTIER-SUR-GAZEILLE, where R. L. Stevenson bought his donkey and started his famous journey. Although the village is pretty, with a particularly lovely church, there's something forlorn and unfriendly about it. The rather bleak Hôtel de Provence above the village would do for a night's stay (tel 04.71.03.82.37, [email protected]; €40–55; restaurant €10.15–19). The riverside municipal campsite (tel 04.71.03.82.24; closed Oct–May) and gîte d'étape (tel 04.71.03.82.24) are more welcoming. Fifty kilometres further north, and about 40km east of Le Puy, behind the gentle bulk of Mont Meygal (1436m), lies the area known as the Montagne Protestante, because its people converted very early and have remained staunch Protestants ever since, albeit with some fairly strange tendencies among them. Black-stone farmhouses stand in isolation among the pastures strewn with autumn crocuses and the dark woods of fir. At the centre of the region lies CHAMBON-SUR-LIGNON, a rambling, rather unattractive village with a somewhat faded air, made famous, however, for its extraordinary wartime record as a haven for several thousand Jewish children. Everyone knew of their presence and was involved in protecting them, and no one ever betrayed them, bound together in their obdurate resolve by their strong Protestant beliefs. Their story is told in Les Armes de l'Esprit, a documentary film made by one of the surviving children who emigrated to the US, available from the mairie. Albert Camus also stayed nearby in 1942 and wrote part of La Peste here. The tourist office is on the central square (July & Aug Mon–Sat 9am–noon & 2.30–6.30pm, Sun 10.30am–12.30pm; Sept–June Mon–Sat 9am–noon & 2.30–6pm; tel 04.71.59.71.56, www.ot-tence.fr). More local information can be had from the tourist office in TENCE, a rather more attractive village, 8km down the road (Tues–Sat 9am–noon & 2–6pm, Sun 10.30am–12.30pm; tel 04.71.59.81.99, fax 04.71.65.47.13). That said, hearty local fare can be enjoyed in Chambon at La Trifola, 4 rte de Tence (tel 04.71.59.77.20; around €22).
Pages in section ‘East’: St-Étienne.
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