Robert Louis Stevenson (of Treasure Island fame) travelled through the Cévennes uplands in SW France in 1878 in the company of a donkey and published an account of his journey in “Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes” (1879). This work is considered a pioneering classic of outdoor literature.

The Cévennes forms the southern part of the Massif Central which was once a micro-conventional plate. The geology is mainly granite in the uplands with limestone forming the surrounding forelands. The famous and spectacular Tarn Gorge is found on the western margin of the Cévennes, a limestone valley which is cut some 400m deep into the high plateau of the uplands. The upland area of the Cévennes is a remote region of isolated hamlets and traditional farming forming the Causses; an area which was designated a UNESCO world heritage site in 2011.
The highest point in the Cévennes is Mont Lozère (1,699m). The easiest way to the summit is from the Chalet du Mont Lozère where there is an ample car park and a hotel which serves local beers and food. In the winter months this a popular ski centre. The route from the hotel climbs a gradual slope heading southwards. Part way along the ascent is a line of Neolithic standing stones or menhirs (at least 50 in total). These are thought to be 4,000 to 5,000 years old. The route soon meets a small col and turning right here leads to the summit of Mont Lozère via a couple of small subsidiary summits. The landscape here is very much reminiscant of the Wicklows but much higher and without the bog!. The actual summit (Sommet de Finiels) is marked by a stone shelter and another Neolithic standing stone, which has been inscribed with a Maltese Cross by Military Orders in the Middle Ages.
After lingering on the Sommit de Finiels to see the sunset we continued westwards to the next subsidiary summit before turning northwards and a steep descent to a gravel road. This road was built in the 1930’s to provide help for the unemployed. Turning right when meeting the road it can be followed eastwards and then northwards through forestry back the starting point at the Chalet du Mont Lozère.
It will take about 2.5-3hrs to complete this walk normally. But as we were filming and stayed to see the sunset then our timings were much longer.