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Day 2: Meet the Penitents of Les Mées
alt_route Stage 1 / Penitents des Mées
The village of Les Mées is known for its narrow rocks which stand over 100 m high.
These rocks which dominate the Durance river for more than 2 km have been sculpted by erosion and cemented by the millennia. Scientists call them "pudding", which refers to a pile of pebbles from the paleo-durance, which are linked together by a kind of natural cement.
To find out more, discover the thematic sheet "Les Pénitents des Mées".
Penitents discovery trail
Level: Easy
Duration: 2 hour
Type: Buckle
Length: 4 km
Elevation gain: 207 m
Start / Finish: Place de la Républiques, Les Mées
More informations: https://www.rando-alpes-haute-provence.fr/randonnee-pedestre/sentier-de-decouverte-des-penitents_ferme-actuellement/
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The Penitents of Les Mées
The name of Les Pénitents des Mées originated around the year 800, in a legend.
At the time when Count Raimbaud, victorious against the Saracens, attacked, kidnapped and brought back from the Crusades seven of the most beautiful women to hold them prisoner in his castle.
Threatened to be excluded from the Catholic Church for his criminal behavior, the count releases his prisoners and delivers them to a monastery near Arles.
On the occasion of this transfer, the monks of the Lure mountain are tasked with forming a long hedge to protect the count's victims as far as the bank of the Durance, where a boat must welcome them. The monks then wear large hoods that cover their faces, so as not to see the beauty of these women.
But legend maintains that the devil was blowing such a wind that the hoods were raised as the Saracen women passed by and the monks could not help admiring their beauty.
Immediately, the punishment was exemplary: thunder struck the religious and transformed them into rocks, forever frozen.
