Located halfway between the Le Puy-en-Velay basin and the high plateaus of the Mézenc, Le Monastier-sur-Gazeille is a charming village in Haute-Loire, right at the heart of Velay.
This small town of character has kept many traces of its medieval past, as evidenced by its magnificent 11th-century abbey church, a gem of the Auvergne Romanesque style, and its 14th-century castle made of basalt stones and flanked by four circular towers.
Two original museums complete the cultural tourism offering: the first, dedicated to rural folk beliefs, is located on the ground floor of the abbey castle. The second is dedicated to school life in bygone days... and is based in an old school.
For the record, Le Monastier-sur-Gazeille is where the writer Robert Louis Stevenson acquired his donkey, Modestine, who would accompany him on his journey through the Cévennes. This famous itinerary in the Massif Central, now known as the Stevenson Trail or GR 70, is particularly popular with hiking enthusiasts.
More intrepid visitors can try bungee jumping from the site of the majestic Recoumène viaduct spanning the Gazeille!