Pedestrian sports, Hiking itinerary
On the trail of Gaudentius
Take the Gaudentius trail and marvel at the exceptional views over the valleys. Pass along the old Lavaur road that linked Lautrec to Ambres. Go as far as the prône limestone site, which dates back to a very distant past.
In 1270, Amaury, Viscount of Lautrec and Baron of Ambres, decided to found a fortified town.
He chose an uncultivated area on the banks of the Dadou, which he named Saint-Gauzens in memory of Sanctus-Gaudentius, a young shepherd from 400 AD who was beheaded by the Visigoth king.
The new bastide was so famous that Philippe le Bel, King of France, sent the seneschal of Carcassonne to found another bastide nearby to reassert his power.
Just 5km north-east of St Gauzens, the church of Saint-Pierre de Monestiés boasts a superb Romanesque portal with 12th-century foliage capitals.
- French
