The capital of Margeride and the gateway to Gévaudan, the small town of Saugues is located on the Via Podiensis: this is the third section of the oldest of the paths leading to Santiago de Compostela. Over 20,000 pilgrims and people simply enjoying a hike stop there every year.
Once a medieval stronghold, Saugues is dominated by the English Tower (Tour des Anglais), the keep of the castle that was destroyed in a fire at the end of the 18th century. Climb to the top of the tower to enjoy a beautiful view of the town's rooftops and Margeride!
Dating from the Romanesque period, the Collegiate Church of St. Medard, extended and remodelled between the 13th and 19th centuries, contains a 12th-century Virgin in Majesty and a 15th and 16th-century polychrome wooden Pietà, as well as the shrine of St. Benilde.
At the Fantastic Museum of the Beast of Gévaudan, you can learn the details of the disturbing event which caused a stir between 1764 and 1767: in the land once known as Gévaudan, nearly a hundred people were killed and devoured by a mysterious beast. It was a farmer from the region who finally managed to defeat it.
