The picturesque village of Pont de Montvert is nestled right in the heart of the Cevennes National Park. The charming village houses stand in the midst of green hills, surrounded by three rivers: the Tarn, the Rieumalet, and the Martinet. The landscape, surrounding the town, is filled with man-made traces, some dating back to the neolithic period, bearing witness to centuries upon centuries of our ancestors’ colossal work as they tried to settle, cultivate, and travel across this land. The Pont de Montvert also played a pivotal role in the history of French Wars of Religion, as it was in this town that the Protestant freedom fighters, the Camisards, first rebelled.
A village on the banks of the Tarn
The charm of granite houses and the beauty of natural water holes formed by the Tarn, make Pont de Montvert ideal for a short pause or a long holiday stay. The village is surrounded by numerous hiking paths; it is not rare to meet on the streets backpackers accompanied by donkeys, horses or mountain bikes. This peaceful, little haven is excellent for visitors who are looking to unwind and get back in touch with nature.
The Pont de Montvert is well known for its role in French history; on July 24th 1702, it was here that the Protestant rebels, the Camisards, had decided to fight their oppressors. On this fatal day, the Catholic abbot Cheyla was executed by the population and hanged off the bridge that crosses the Tarn, due to his violent repression of the Protestant faith. One of the leaders of the rebellion, a camisard named Esprit Seguier, was also burned alive in this town, by the Tarn river banks, on the orders of royal authorities.
Life in the village
Thinking of stopping by Pont de Montvert or planning on staying here? Here, you will find the map of the village centre with all the shops and services in the area.
The clock tower
The Pont de Montvert clock tower stands right next to a 17th century stone bridge that crosses the Tarn river, right in the heart of the village. The tower served as a prison before it was destroyed by floods in 1827. In 1832, the tower was restored and a clock was installed. In 2014, students from the Leonardo de Vinci school of Marseilles, meticulously restored the ancient mechanism of the clock. To this day, still, the locals live to the rhythm of the clock tower’s chimes!
The tower also serves as a starting point for the Cham de l’Hermet hiking trail! The trail will lead you along various landscapes of the Tarn valley and will have you traverse the picturesque hamlet of Hermet that stands on top of a mountain plain.
Wintertime
Discover Pont de Montvert in wintertime, when it is covered by the white blanket of snow. Numerous wintertime activities are also available in the vicinity of the village; the outdoors multi-sport centre of Mont Lozere, is only 15 km away!
