Land Sailing in the Camargue
The practice of land sailing is no longer confined to the beaches of Northern...
Nature
Near Manosque, the mysterious silhouettes of the rocky outcrops known as the Mées Penitents impose themselves on the vision of all travelers who follow the Durance Valley. The towering rocks on this natural site have not ceased to intrigue since ancient times.
By Jean-Dominique Dalloz - Photos Christian Pinatel /Amis des Mées - February 7, 2012
The engineers who established the A51 freeway did a good job. In the direction Sisteron-Aix-en-Provence, they created a big descent opposite the village of Mées, thus providing a panoramic view over a geological formation that is breathtaking in its beauty. Over almost one kilometer wide, this indented rocky mass presents a facade that calls to mind a procession of hooded monks.
These distinctive silhouettes have always intrigued the inhabitants of the village, and the travelers who follow the Durance River. Their form and linear arrangement
soon gave rise to legends and extraordinary stories. One of them prevailed sufficiently to give them a name, the Penitents. These rocks appear to depict the monks from the nearby Lure Mountain, who have been petrified by Saint Donat during Saracen invasions. The men of faith had the bad luck to fall in love with beautiful Moors, brought back by a local Lord during the Crusades. As repentance they were condemned to immobility for eternity, wearing their pointed hoods to better cover their shame…
From the summit, one has a panoramic view over Mées, from whose olive groves is extracted a famous oil, and the Durance Valley, with its many orchards. The track then descends gently down to the village, where the roofs with their Roman tiles create a patchwork of ochre and brick tones. Soon we reach the Saint-Roch Chapel, restored and maintained by the inhabitants of the village, before reaching the first homes via a narrow alleyway. A last look back at the cliff allows one to see an astounding cavity near the top, where two tree trunks form a cross.
The Mées Penitents figure among the most impressive geological curiosities in the Alps of Haute Provence. The frozen procession of these rocks is really worth a look; you have the impression when admiring them that all they want is for the curse to be lifted so that they will finally be able to move.
Discover
Almost one hundred meters of rocks towers over the village of Mées, located at the foot of this astounding cliff. A track allows one to reach the crest and to follow the site along its whole length, before returning on foot from the monumental barrier. It’s best not to diverge from this itinerary: the particularly crumbly rock makes any exploration in to the interior of the Penitents very dangerous. What’s more, access to the canyons between the peaks is very difficult.
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- Aix-en-Provence
