The village of Malène in the heart of the Tarn river Canyon
La Malène is a small village located at the heart of the Tarn river Canyon. Encased between the Causse de Sauveterre and the Causse Méjean plateaus, it is the starting and ending point of canoeing descents, great hikes and boat trips with the Boatmen (Bateliers) of the Tarn river Canyon. Discover its extraordinary charm which will appeal to young and old: green, sporting or cultural tourism, there is something for everyone’ s taste!
An extraordinary heritage
The Romanesque Saint-Jean-Baptiste church dating from the 12th century has been listed as Historic Monument since 1928. In the center of the village, admire the La Malène’s Manoir, the Montesquiou manor dating from the 15th century, which today has been transformed into a hotel restaurant.
Above the village, on the promontory, exceptional ruins subsist: this was the "Castel Merlet", a site which was occupied since antiquity but best known for being the oldest known castle in France: its construction took place between the 6th and the 7th century. Since 2008, various excavation campaigns have been undertaken on the site, which has not yet revealed all of its mysteries.