Abri pour pelerin d'Aubrac

The place

Capacity: 24. The oldest gîte d'étape in France, having served this purpose since the 14th century! Who can top that? The Aubrac "Domerie", founded in the 11th century, was a shelter set on inhospitable heights to offer refuge to pilgrims of St James and to any traveller facing the dangers of the climate, brigands, wolves, etc. Led by a "dom" — the equivalent of an abbot — this fortress-monastery-refuge (the tower occupies one corner of the former fortified enclosure) was run by a community of Augustinian monks and defended by armed knights. The name "of the English" comes from the concerns of the time, which saw, in addition to the risks already described, the possibility of an armed contingent of beer-and-cabbage-breathed Godons appearing, who roamed our beautiful country... Practical details: - open permanently from May to September: during and outside this period, contact the Domerie hotel-restaurant (which collects the overnight fee), on the village square, or the town hall of St Chély (see general contact details) - self-service kitchen: yes - accessible by car: yes - sanitary facilities: yes - simple gîte: no half-board, overnight rate 8.5 €/person - beds spread across 3 dormitories. At the junction of the GR 6/A and 65, roughly at the centre of a triangle formed by Laguiole, St Chély and Nasbinals. Communal gîte of St Chély d'Aubrac. General contact details: La Tour des Anglais at Aubrac Aubrac, 12470 St-Chély-d'Aubrac tel: 05 65 44 21 15 fax: 05 65 48 55 41 email: accueil.stchelydaubrac@orange.fr