walls and columns are panelled in whitewashed pine, giving a slightly New England flavour. Mostly, though, the effect of the determined simplicity is pre-Christian Roman. The only explicitly Christian decoration is the legend "Dieu est amour" painted at the 'West' end. There is a sense of civic virtue and pride in the colonnaded balconies which are a deliberate invocation of public space in Roman architecture. The space is regularly used today for services and classical music concerts. St Martin's Catholic Church (1833) A neo-classical temple, the deliberately imposing west facade has a high Roman Doric portico, with unfluted columns, unrendered stone and an unadorned entablature and pediment, contrasting with the modest wooden doors, stained a very dark brown. There is a plaque commemorating local-born Guillaume de Grimoard who rose to pope as Urban V (1363–70). At the front of the drive is an iron cross dated 1841. Both north and south facades are extremely plain. The stained glass windows are protected by iron grills and reinforced glass which is frosting. There is a tower at the East end. The dark interior means the stained glass stands out. Otherwise, it is comparatively plain, with are stone walls, very likely to be reused stone from an earlier structure. There is a doorway to the vestry behind altar, and simple geometric transom glass. Against the West end wall (North side) is a very fine statue of Christ. There are two fonts: one is neoclassical black and grey marble; the second looks more like polished limestone and is standing incongruously on what looks like the base to a no-longer-existing column, very probably belonging to the former structure. Military A good deal of military action has taken place in and around Florac. Before 1629 the town retained a defensive wall, and the castle was used by the Barons of Anduze in the 13th century. Château de Florac Twin towns Florac is twinned with: L'Anse-Saint-Jean, Quebec, Canada since 1984 Arbucies, Catalonia, Spain since 1987 See also Causse Méjean References External links Florac official site Florac in Lozere (separate texts in French, English, Dutch and German; photographs) Former communes of Lozère