Village of Dourgne

Located at the bottom of the Montagne Noire (literally: the Black Mountain) and in the Parc Naturel du Haut Languedoc (Nature Park of the High Languedoc), the charming village of Dourgne with its abbeys and chapels is a beautiful starting point for walks and treks in a natural and spiritual environment.
Located in an area inhabited by men since prehistoric times, the village of Dourgne will charm you with its small central square and its arcades but most of all, with the beauty of the surrounding landscape and its mountain paths, climbing up to the top of a plateau, through the woods and alongside little streams of crystal clear waters.
In the 1890's two benedictine abbeys have been erected in this place that favours meditation: the monastery of En Calcat is home to a community of monks from which originated Dom Robert, a local tapestry artist, while Ste Scholastique is a convent for nuns who live from the sales of their crafts.
The village is on one of the four Ways of St James and pilgrims and walkers will enjoy the natural and spiritual environment.

Things to do in Dourgne:
- Walk up to the Capelette, a chapel built on the plateau of the "Desert of St Ferréol" (only open on certain occasions such as the guided visits organised by the tourist office, for more information call 0800 74 65 81).
- go fishing or enjoy a splash in the pools that have been set up on the brook during the 18th century in order to supply water to the fountains in the village.
- look for the chapel of the Bayou and its miraculous little cascade hidden in the woods.
- and for the bravest, try paragliding to get down the hill! (for more information, call the town hall on 05 63 50 31 20).