Rochers de Puychaud, la frontière des langues et le trésor de Noël

Blond

Between the hamlets of Villerajouze and Blond, in the monts de Blond, enormous rounded rocks sit at the roadside. These granite blocks, called erratic, have always attracted the curious. A plaque in honour of Frédéric Mistral recalls that they mark the symbolic boundary between the langue d'oc, to the south, and the langue d'oïl, to the north. According to the legend reported by the Limousin tourist office, the largest of these blocks opens on Christmas night and reveals a cave full of treasure. Where this story comes from is not known; only one page mentions it. Going up the hill, beyond an old dry-stone wall, one finds about 40 m away a dolmen that has kept almost all of its mound: recent excavations found Neolithic pottery and stone tools there. The pays d'Oc circuit passes here, with a shorter variant that climbs to the dolmen. The blocks are thus linked to three stories: a treasure, a border between languages and a prehistoric tomb.

Getting there: Free, sign at the roadside between Villerajouze and Blond. Hike ‘Des villages en pays d'Oc’ (13 km from Blond, about 3 h 15; 8 km variant via the dolmen). Approximate coordinates, calculated between Villerajouze (OpenStreetMap) and Blond; exact position not verified.

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound