Nîmes-le-Vieux, Rock formation site in Causse Méjean, France.
Nîmes-le-Vieux is a natural landscape of dolomite limestone formations on the Causse Méjean at about 1100 meters elevation, spread across several kilometers. Natural erosion has created bizarre rock formations, natural arches, and small gorges that shape the terrain.
Pastor Paul Arnal discovered and named this geological formation in 1908, inspired by a similar location that had become known a few decades earlier. This discovery helped draw attention to the area and established it as a place of geological interest.
The rock formations have received local names from residents who saw animals and recognizable shapes in them. Walking through the site, you can discover these imaginative names that reflect how people connect nature to their own creativity.
A circular trail of about 3 kilometers starts from the L'Hom parking area and guides you through the formations with numbered information panels. The site is openly accessible, but sturdy footwear is recommended because of the uneven and rocky ground.
Dolomite stone dissolves faster than other rock types, creating a network of natural arches and hollow spaces here. You can observe this geological process particularly clearly because the formations display these patterns like an open textbook.
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