The Monts de Lacaune are a huge expanse of natural environment at once carefully conserved and very much alive. Verdant forests cover the mountain-slopes and shade its various lakes and pools (such as the Lac du Laouzas), laden with fish, cool its footpaths in the summer and echo to the sound of its chattering rivers and cascading waterfalls. This generous environment seems made for all manner of sports: - Walking, riding and cycling - Swimming, sailing, canoeing and kayaking, fishing in the lakes, pools and rivers. In July-August the Monts de Lacaune host a season of organ-recitals in the local church. The summer fêtes in the villages around are particularly animated, as in Murat sur Vèbre where they have a display of traditional threshing or in Barre and Saint Sever where they hold traditional "buffatières". It is a district renowned for its food (and especially its "charcuterie") and holds an annual "fête de la charcuterie" to the accompaniment of street-entertainment while the various villages all lay on night-markets and varied entertainments when en fête. The tourist office arranges tours around the charcuterie, the slate-factory and the dairies as well as site-visits by calèche (horse and cart) to the region's menhirs.   These enigmatic standing-stones are to be found everywhere in the fields and by the roadside, enduring symbols of a rich and mysterious culture from a long-lost past. The mountain villages are without exception of outstanding interest: Murat, Moulin-Mage, Nages, Barre, Gijounet, Escroux, Saint-Sever du Moustier and, last but by no means least, Viane. Several traditional art-and-craft museums bear witness to the fine artisan tradition of Languedoc whose emblematic colours are the grey of its slate and the pink of its sandstone. Each village has its own distinctive attractions such as Belmont with its magnificent religious college. In the Monts de Lacaune one is constantly aware that the local heritage comes with a real taste of the land, of its celebrated charcuterie or its sheep's cheese in myriad flavours. The milk from Lacaune sheep (a distinct breed) milk is used in the production of Roquefort. The mineral waters of Mont Roucous are refreshing and healthy, an aid to digestion and renowned for their diuretic properties. Lacaune casino ("boule" and arcade) - Discotheques at Lacaune and Moulin-Mage USEFUL INFORMATION: OFFICE DU TOURISME de Lacaune : Telephone 05 63 37 04 98 - Fax 05 63 37 15 40 BASE DE LOISIRS DU LAOUZAS at Nages - Telphone 05 63 37 45 76 SYNDICAT D’INTIATIVE de Murat - Place de la Mairie - Telephone 05 63 37 41 16 SYNDICAT D’INTIATIVE de Viane - Place de la Mairie - Telephone 05 63 37 50 34 Summary: 1 The Natural Regional Park of Upper Languedoc 2 The Sidobre 3 The Montagne Noire (Dourgne, Sorèze...) 4 Mazamet and region 5 The Monts de Lacaune - Brassac du Tarn 6 The Lakes and the Salvetois 7 The Valley of the Thoré 8 The Montredonnais   9 The Valleys of the Orb and the Jaur 10 The Saint-Ponais 11 The Monts d'Orb Following the wine trail: 12 The Faugérois 13 The Minervois 14 The Saint-Chiniannais © Photography, Thomas Hallbert © English translation, David Bond. © 2000-2008 vivrehautlanguedoc thomas@idaeus.com