Larzac (, ), also known as the Causse of Larzac (French: '' Causse du Larzac''; ), is a

limestone Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...

karst Karst () is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble carbonate rocks such as limestone and Dolomite (rock), dolomite. It is characterized by features like poljes above and drainage systems with sinkholes and caves underground. Ther ...

plateau In geology and physical geography, a plateau (; ; : plateaus or plateaux), also called a high plain or a tableland, is an area of a highland consisting of flat terrain that is raised sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. ...

in the south of the Massif Central,

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

, situated between

Millau Millau (; ) is a commune in Occitania, France. Located at the confluence of the Tarn and Dourbie rivers, the town is a subprefecture of the Aveyron department. Millau is known for its Viaduct, glove industry and several nearby natural ...

(in the department of

Aveyron Aveyron (; ) is a Departments of France, department in the Regions of France, region of Occitania (administrative region), Occitania, Southern France. It was named after the river Aveyron (river), Aveyron. Its inhabitants are known as ''Aveyro ...

) and Lodève (in the department of Hérault). It is an agricultural area, where traditionally sheep produce milk for Roquefort cheese. Since the early 2010s, agricultural production has diversified.

Geography

The communes of the Larzac are: * Cornus *

Creissels Creissels is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana ...

* La Cavalerie * La Couvertoirade *

La Roque-Sainte-Marguerite La Roque-Sainte-Marguerite (; ) is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. Lying deep in the scenic Dourbie gorge, the commune absorbed the formerly separate commune of St Verin in 1940, and it also incorporates the villag ...

L'Hospitalet-du-Larzac L'Hospitalet-du-Larzac (; ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Aveyron Departments of France, department in southern France, part of the southern Massif central, incorporating part of the Larzac plateau. The economy is agricultural, nota ...

Le Caylar Le Caylar (; ), also known as ''Le Caylar-en-Larzac'', is a commune in the Hérault department in southern France, in the administrative region of Occitanie. It has the Village étape label since 2013. Geography Le Caylar is situated 71& ...

* Le Cros * Les Rives *

* Nant * Saint-Félix-de-l'Héras * Saint-Georges-de-Luzençon * Saint-Maurice-Navacelles * Saint-Michel-d'Alajou * Saint-Pierre-de-la-Fage * Sainte-Eulalie-de-Cernon *

Sorbs Sorbs (; ; ; ; ; also known as Lusatians, Lusatian Serbs and Wends) are a West Slavs, West Slavic ethnic group predominantly inhabiting the parts of Lusatia located in the German states of Germany, states of Saxony and Brandenburg. Sorbs tradi ...

* La Vacquerie-et-Saint-Martin-de-Castries * Vissec The Larzac is served by junctions 46 to 51 of the A75 autoroute.

History

In October 1970, Michel Debré, then Minister of Defence, decided for strategic purposes to expand a military camp outside the village of La Cavalerie in the department of

, from 30 km² to 170 km², without consulting the local population. Local farmers objected and decided to fight against the project, through actions such as the occupation of empty farms purchased by the Army in anticipation of this expansion. French syndicalist and peasant activist José Bové moved there during this period in support of the protests. Communards from the nearby Community of the Ark, led by the pacifist Lanza del Vasto, were also very active in opposition to the camp. The workers of the occupied and self-managed LIP factory also took part in the movement. Following ten years of nonviolent resistance, the plan was cancelled by President François Mitterrand after his election in 1981. Because of its history, the Larzac was chosen as the site of a massive meeting against the WTO which took place in August 2003. José Bové currently resides in the Larzac area; he secured nearly 500,000 votes in the 2007 presidential election. He became a

Member of the European Parliament A member of the European Parliament (MEP) is a person who has been Election, elected to serve as a popular representative in the European Parliament. When the European Parliament (then known as the Common Assembly of the European Coal and S ...

2009 2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...

Sights

Five medieval fortified villages, related to the

Knights Templar The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, mainly known as the Knights Templar, was a Military order (religious society), military order of the Catholic Church, Catholic faith, and one of the most important military ord ...

and the

Knights Hospitaller The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), is a Catholic military order. It was founded in the crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem in the 12th century and had headquarters there ...

are located on the Larzac plateau: * La Cavalerie * La Couvertoirade * Saint-Jean-d'Alcas,Saint-Jean-d'Alcas
/ref> part of the Saint-Jean-et-Saint-Paul commune * Sainte-Eulalie-de-Cernon * Viala-du-Pas-de-Jaux

References

{{Authority control Plateaus of Metropolitan France Nonviolence Massif Central Landforms of Aveyron Landforms of Hérault