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Jam-packed with tourists in July and August, but absolutely spectacular nonetheless, the Gorges du Tarn cut through the limestone plateaux of the Causse de Sauveterre and the Causse Mejean in a precipitous trench 400-500m deep and 1000-1500m wide. Its sides, cloaked with woods of feathery pine and spiked with pinnacles of eroded rock, are often sheer and always very steep, creating within them a microclimate in sharp distinction to the inhospitable plateaux above. The permanent population is tiny, though there is plenty of evidence of more populous times in abandoned houses and once-cultivated terraces. Because of the press of people and the subsequent overpricing of accommodation , the best bet, if you want to stay along the gorge, is to head up onto the Causse Mejean, where there are several small family-run hotels and chambres d'hote , among which is the attractively sited Auberge de la Cascade in St-Chely-du-Tarn (tel 04.66.48.52.82, fax 04.66.48.52.45; 160-220F/?24-34; closed mid-Oct to mid-March; restaurant from 75F/?11.43). The most attractive section of the gorge runs for 53km from the pretty village of LE ROZIER , 21km northeast of Millau, to ISPAGNAC . If you want to stay in Le Rozier, try the Hotel Arnal (tel 05.65.62.66.00; 160-220F/?24-34; closed Oct-Easter) or Hotel Doussiere (tel 05.65.62.60.25; 160-220F/?24-34; closed mid-Nov to Easter), or there's a municipal campsite (tel 05.65.62.63.98, fax 05.65.62.60.83; closed Oct-April). A narrow and very twisty road follows the right bank of the river from Le Rozier, but it's not the best way to see the scenery. For the car-borne, the best views are from the road to St-Rome-de-Dolan above Les Vignes, and from the roads out of La Malene and the attractive STE-ENIMIE , where you'll find a well-informed tourist office (July & Aug daily 10am-12.30pm & 2.30-7pm; rest of year Mon-Sat 9.30am-noon & 1.30-4.30pm; tel 04.66.48.53.44). La Malene has a municipal campsite (tel 04.66.48.58.55; closed mid-Oct to March) and the nearby La Blanquiere site (tel 04.66.48.54.93; closed mid-Sept to April), which is beautifully sited on the main road towards Les Vignes. But it's best to walk if possible, or follow the river's course by boat or canoe - there are dozens of places to rent canoes. For walkers, the GR6a , a variant of the GR6 which crosses the causses , climbs steeply out of Le Rozier between the junction of the Tarn with the equally spectacular gorges of the River Jonte onto the Causse Mejean, then follows the rim of the Tarn gorge for a while before descending to rejoin the GR6 at Les Vignes (4-5hr). Also eminently worth seeing are two beautiful caves about 25km up the Jonte from Le Rozier: the Aven Armand (daily: mid-March to June & Sept-Nov 9.30am-noon & 1.30-5/6pm; July & Aug 9.30am-7pm; 45F/?6.87), on the edge of the Causse Mejean, and the Grotte de Dargilan (daily March-June & Sept 9am-noon & 1.30-6pm; July & Aug 9am-7pm; Oct 10am-noon & 1.30-5pm; 39F/?5.95), on the south side of the river on the edge of the Causse Noir. HYELZAS , near the Aven Armand cave, has a gite d'etape (M. Pratlong; tel 04.66.45.66.56).
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