Les Mées, in Provençal Lei Meas from the Occitan meya, which means stack of wheat, to designate the Penitents. It is a village which offers a beautiful panorama, it has 3630 inhabitants.
Description
In the center there are beautiful exposed stone houses, small narrow streets... The Saint-Roch chapel and the Notre Dame de l'Olivier church are beautiful places to visit.
The Sentier des Pénitents (Penitents' Trail) is a 2-hour hike that allows you to discover the unique rock known as puddingstone, formed millions of years ago by the consolidation of rock fragments torn from the Alpine chain and carried by the Durance River. This 2.5 km long geological curiosity overlooks the village. The Chemin de la Colle (Colle Path), meanwhile, leads to the high plateau above the village, where a breathtaking panorama unfolds over the Durance Valley and the Alps.
The Penitents
The village of Les Mées owes its notoriety to the narrow rocks which stand more than 100 meters high in the town. They are called the Penitents of Mées because of their long and narrow shape, some have seen a procession of monks wearing a pointed hood. According to the legend it would be the monks of the Montagne de Lure petrified by Saint Donat at the time of the Saracen invasions and punished for having fallen in love with young women.
The olive groves
Les Mées is the largest olive-growing commune in the Alpes de Haute-Provence with nearly 80.000 olive trees around the village. There is a 3,6km marked trail, the Chemin de l'Olivier, which allows you to discover these centuries-old olive trees. Several oil mills in the town can be visited all year round. FREE ENTRANCE. Info: 04 92 34 36 38
Comfort and amenities
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Prices
Free access.