The Arthurian Cycle, Norman Style
There isn’t only the Breton forest of Brocéliande to have linked its name to Arthurian legends. In the Mortainais, a secluded and wild valley in the southeast of the Manche, several sites are tied to the sovereign and his knights. Notably Arthour’s Fosse, sandstone gorges carved by the Sonce, where the king is said to be buried.
The walk : starting from Mortain, the Cascades circuit joins Arthour’s Fosse. One can then extend by following the King Arthur circuit (7 km).
The legend : Arthur and Guinevere would have sought refuge in two caves located on either side of the river, the King’s Chamber and the Queen’s Chamber. The sovereign defied a fairy’s ban on visiting his wife and perished by drowning.
Tracking down the Beast of Gévaudan
On the borders of Lozère and Cantal, the Margeride massif still shudders at the memory of the “devouring” beast, which terrorized the region between 1764 and 1767. Several hiking routes pass through places linked to this legend, notably the ascent to La Sogne-d’Auvers, a hamlet where the monster was slain.
The walk : from Auvers, one climbs through the Ténézère forest up to the summit of Mont Mouchet. The spot where the beast collapsed lies in a clearing on the descent (a 14 km loop).
The legend : wolf? dog? monster? The identity of the Beast of Gévaudan remains unresolved. One thing is certain: after the death of the hound, shot here by a local farmer, attacks in the region ceased.
The Rhône Also Has Its Dragon
Clawed bear-like paws, a lion’s head and a turtle’s shell… The Tarasque is a peculiar amphibious dragon from medieval Provençal folklore, which haunted the marshy banks of the Rhône, between Arles and Avignon. Its legend has remained vividly alive in the town of Tarascon, where a procession, listed on UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage, is organized every year.
The walk : from Beaucaire, on the western bank of the river, we follow the Rhône which still bears traces of its former marshes. Then we stroll through the center of Tarascon, before looping back (18 km).
The legend : living on the rock where Tarascon Castle would be built, the monster targeted passersby and boats navigating the river.
➤ Article published in GEO HS magazine No. 133, “France, our favorite summer walks”, June-July 2026.
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