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Pradelles in Haute-Loire |
     
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Pradelles in Haute-Loire |
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Nestled between the winding arms of the Allier and Loire gorges, lies Pradelles, a haven of greenery and history. This village, like a guardian of time, houses architectural treasures such as the majestic Porte du Rocher, the stoic ramparts, the proud Tower of the English, and the Chapel of the Penitents, a silent witness to past fervor.
The “Castrum Pratellae,” a balcony on history, offers breathtaking views of the Allier valley, stretching to the peaks of Mont Lozère to the south. To the west, the Margeride unfolds its spine, a land of legends where the Beast of Gévaudan once sowed terror. To the east, the summits mark the boundary between the waters flowing to the Atlantic and those joining the Mediterranean. And to the north, the land of Pradelles unfolds, a patchwork of Velay and Vivarais, where each village holds its own picturesque tableau.
The Place de la Halle, the beating heart of Pradelles, is framed by a covered gallery, under which the echoes of the old market still resonate. The old houses, with their stone façades and well-guarded secrets, line the streets, while the remnants of fortifications tell stories of bravery and resistance.
The Musée l’Oustalou and the Museum of Draft Horses are guardians of memory, reminding us that Pradelles was once a city of great importance, even surpassing Langogne in fame. But time and progress have redrawn the maps, and with the advent of the railway, Langogne flourished while Pradelles, far from the railways, became more discreet.
Beneath the town, the old road crosses the arch of the hospice, a rare vestige of a 17th-century road hospital, where travelers found refuge under a protective vault. Only a few other examples remain, witnesses of a time when hospitality was an essential but cautious virtue.
In the chapel of Notre Dame de Toute Grâce, there is a strangely carved stone pulpit and a miraculous Virgin, discovered in 1512, watching over the inhabitants and pilgrims. The Estrade Vieille, bordered by the walls of the cemetery and the chapel of the Ribains, houses a statuette of Saint Gilles, a tribute to the pilgrims who have rested in this blessed place for generations.
At the Croix d’Ardennes, the gaze drifts over Lake Naussac and the expanses of Gévaudan, a breathtaking panorama where history and nature blend into one.
It was at the Verdette gate that, on March 10, 1588, a heroic episode in the History and Heritage of Pradelles unfolded. In those troubled times, marked by religious wars, a Protestant troop was valiantly repelled, and the captain of the attackers had his helmet cracked by a stone thrown with force. Jacques de Chambaud, though injured, survived to serve Henry IV, before passing away in 1600.
Pradelles, located on the path of Saint Gilles, continues to welcome travelers in its road hospice, a haven of peace “outside the walls,” where charity mingles with caution, a place where history is lived daily.
In the wake of Robert Louis Stevenson, Pradelles reveals itself, a village where wood comes to life and miracles are woven into the fabric of daily life. It was here, in 1512, that a statue of Notre Dame, enigmatic and divine, was discovered in a forgotten chest, buried in the earth's depths. It now reigns in the chapel, a sanctuary built by the pious hands of the Dominicans, where each stone tells a prayer.
Time has sculpted its work on the Notre-Dame chapel, from the first stone laid in 1613 to the elevation of the bell tower in 1655. The years have seen the chapel adorned with new attire from 1867 to 1876, and the bell tower transformed in 1879 to house the Bourdon, whose deep sound resonates like a celestial call. In 1889, a stone dome crowned by the statue of the virgin completed this sacred tableau.
From the Chapel of the Penitents, only the portal remains, engraved with the inscription “Societas Gonfalonis” - 1696, two hearts, two Maltese crosses. A distant echo of the processions of penitents, who followed the Gonfalon banner, a symbol of Christ's passion.
The portal of Besset, the sentinel of the south of Pradelles, watches over the Basse street that winds towards Entressac, embracing the “Path of St Gilles” and the “Path of Régordane.” There, the structure of the portal is revealed, with its protective arches and iron grate, a silent witness of centuries past. It was here that Jeanne de la Verdette, in a surge of bravery, saved Pradelles by pushing back Captain Chambaud, sealing her name in history.
And now, Pradelles invites you on a journey through time, at the soothing rhythm of a bike-rail that traverses a landscape shaped by water and the fire of volcanoes. With family or friends, explore a railway line where nature reclaims its rights, among blooming gorse heaths, fields of lentils, and mysterious peat bogs. Over 18 kilometers of discovery, let yourself be charmed by the poetry of a landscape that has so much to tell.
Former holiday hotel with a garden along the Allier, L'Etoile Guest House is located in La Bastide-Puylaurent between Lozere, Ardeche, and the Cevennes in the mountains of Southern France. At the crossroads of GR®7, GR®70 Stevenson Path, GR®72, GR®700 Regordane Way, GR®470 Allier River springs and gorges, GRP® Cevenol, Ardechoise Mountains, Margeride. Numerous loop trails for hiking and one-day biking excursions. Ideal for a relaxing and hiking getaway.
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