At the height of MontbrunThe Saut de la Mounine

Heading to Montbrun

Overlooking the Lot by 150m, the “Saut de la Mounine” offers anexceptional panorama over the valley. Facing Montbrun and its medieval castle, this unmissable and legendary viewpoint is a call to contemplation.

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"Mounine"?

The emblematic places of a territory are often associated with a legend. But who is this mysterious “Mounine”who would have made the great leap from the top of this steep cliff?

This is the story of Sidoine, a hermit returning from Santiago de Compostela, who had retired to live in a cave of the impressive cliff, in the company of his guenon, a “Mounine “. In the castle opposite, Ogier the lord of Montbrun, could not accept his daughter Ghislaine’s love for the son of his worst enemy, the sire of Gaifié, and is said to have told her “I’d rather see you jump from the rock to the monk than marry that boy.”

The unfortunate woman went to confide these misfortunes to Sidoine, who then had the idea of sacrificing his guenon dressed in Ghislaine’s clothes, by throwing her off the cliff. Ogier believed in the death of his daughter before the monk revealed to him that Ghislaine was alive and well. Laughing and crying, he granted the hand of his daughter to his beloved, and gave place in the castel de Montbrun incomparable nuptials.

Take some

height

The riverbed has carved its bed here for millennia, along a meander that practically forms a loop. From the top of these cliffs, above the hamlet of Caillac, this extraordinary viewpoint is also a paragliding takeoff spot. Indeed, it is possible to take even more height to admire Causses and valleys, the time of an unforgettable flight.

Looking for a break with a view?

Very close to Montbrun, there is another incredible viewpoint on the Lot Valley: the site Montblond. Starting point for paragliders, it is also an ideal place to admire the landscapes and take a nature break in the heart of the Causses du Quercy! After these beautiful discoveries, what if your journey continued on the side of Gréalou, to discover Super-Cayrou?

The perched village of Montbrun

Facing the “Saut de la Mounine“, on an impressive rocky spur, we can guess here the strategic location of the Seigniory of Montbrun in the Middle Ages. The ruins of the castle and its terraced gardens dominate the meandering Lot Valley. Seen from below, the cypress trees peaking above the fortifications and the Romanesque architecture of the church give the whole a stronghold-like appearance. By climbing for a few moments, it is possible to admire the remains of the 13th century keep and the 16th century tower from a natural lookout, standing behind the private castle.