Bozouls, a "hole" that isn't really one
Everyone here calls it the "Trou de Bozouls", the Bozouls Hole, but the name is a little misleading: it is not a chasm, it is an open-air canyon, an almost circular natural amphitheatre about 400 metres across and around 100 metres deep, with near-vertical walls. The first time we take someone there, we love watching their face as they reach the village square: you walk between the houses, nothing hints at what lies behind them, and then suddenly the ground falls away at your feet. It is this contrast, between the calm of the village and the raw landscape just below, that makes the place so special.
The village of Bozouls was built all the way around this horseshoe, on both banks, with a rocky spur in the centre jutting into the void like the prow of a ship. It is on this spur, at the most dizzying point of the site, that the church of Sainte-Fauste stands. More on that below, because it is our favourite spot.
How the Dourdou carved the canyon
The culprit is the Dourdou, the same little river that flows further down the valley we follow on the way to Conques, before it joins the Lot near Grand-Vabre. Here in Bozouls it crosses the Causse Comtal, a Jurassic limestone plateau, and rather than cutting straight through, it began to wind, forming an ever deeper meander. Over thousands of years, erosion ate away the soft limestone along this loop, deepening the riverbed while keeping the same curved shape: this is what geologists call an incised meander, and it is exactly this process, helped by a slight tectonic uplift of the plateau millions of years ago, that created this almost perfect amphitheatre. The result is unique in the area: neither a classic gorge nor a simple valley, but a ring of rock closed in on itself.
We particularly like coming after heavy rain or when the snow melts: the Dourdou swells, and you can hear two small waterfalls roaring at the bottom of the canyon, as well as a pool known locally as the Gourg d'Enfer ("Hell's Pool"). The rest of the year the river is much more discreet, little more than a stream at the bottom of its vast limestone setting.
The church of Sainte-Fauste, on the edge of the void
This is the highlight of the visit, and the first place we take our guests. The Romanesque church of Sainte-Fauste, built mostly in the 12th century, stands on the tip of the rocky spur, exactly where the Dourdou's meander almost closes in on itself. Before it, a fortified village and a castle are said to have occupied this natural defensive outcrop as early as the 9th century. Nothing of them remains today, but locals still call the spot "le château".
We never tire of walking around the church along the little path that follows the cliff edge: on one side, the plain Romanesque façade in limestone and pink sandstone; on the other, just a few metres away, a hundred-metre drop to the Dourdou. On the main square, right opposite the town hall, a footbridge offers a head-on view of the spur and the church: it is by far our favourite viewpoint, and anyone can reach it in a few steps from the village centre.
Our favourite viewpoints over the canyon
Beyond the town hall square, several viewing platforms line the rim of the canyon, especially along the Rue du Trou, with wooden footbridges that let you cross the Dourdou in any season and admire the cliffs from different angles. Our tip: don't stop at the first viewpoint you come across; walk at least half way round the site to see the church in different lights. In the morning, the pinkish stone glows particularly well.
Trails, climbing and other activities
A waymarked discovery trail of about 6 km starts from the town hall car park and takes you all the way round the canyon on foot, between suspended footbridges and successive viewpoints. The sun-facing southern walls are also popular with climbers, with several equipped routes spread across the site. We tend to stick to walking with our guests: the trail suits the whole family, and the changes in height really give you a sense of how deep the canyon is.
The site is classified as a Sensitive Natural Area, and for good reason: the cliffs are home to remarkable wildlife, including the Eurasian eagle-owl and the peregrine falcon, which you may spot flying over the void if you take the time to look up. The north and south slopes, with very different exposures, also carry contrasting vegetation (ash and maple in the shade, downy oak in the sun), worth a look for anyone interested in the nature of the causse.
A place full of legends and daring feats
We like telling our guests that this canyon long fascinated local people, so much so that it was once counted among the "seven wonders of the Rouergue". Local legend, of course, prefers a less geological explanation: the Devil himself is said to have dug the hole with a kick of his hoof, furious at failing to topple the church bell tower. The pool you can hear rumbling at the bottom has a name to match, the Gourg d'Enfer, once said to be bottomless. A little further along the cliff, a rocky ledge called the Saut du Mendiant ("Beggar's Leap") recalls a tragic event that happened just over a century ago, a name that always makes an impression on our guests.
The dizzying site has also drawn tightrope walkers: the famous Henry's stretched his wire across it several times between 1980 and 1995, crossing the void above the Dourdou in front of the whole village. Since 2010, the canyon has also hosted a music festival, the Festa del Traouc, which takes over the natural terraces of the site every summer. Two good reasons, if you are visiting in high season, to check the local programme before you go.
How we get there from the cottage
From Gîte de la Viguerie in Pruines, allow about half an hour to reach Bozouls along the small roads of the Causse Comtal, a pleasant drive through landscapes quite different from the Dourdou valley around the cottage or the one leading to Conques. Parking near the town hall is the easiest option, and you can then explore the canyon on foot. Allow a good hour for the short loop around the church and the main viewpoints, and half a day if you want to walk the whole discovery trail. We recommend going late in the morning or late in the afternoon: the low light on the limestone cliffs is far more beautiful than at midday, and the village is quieter.