Sidobre is a French mountainous region located in the south of the Massif Central, eleven kilometers east of Castres in the Tarn department. It is a granite territory 15.3 km long with a maximum width of 6.6 km (approximately 102 km2), or nearly 5,000 hectares covered with forests. The massif has an altitude of between 400 and 707 meters (highest point is at a place called Le Patau). The Sidobre massif represents the largest group of granite rocks in France and the leading French granite production center.
Formed from a single giant block, it is cracked on the surface (diaclases), where water erosion (underground or surface) has left some remarkable natural constructions, among which:
- the Peyro Clabado (from the Occitan Pèira Clavada (nailed stone)), in Lacrouzette, a block of 780 tons
- the Roc de l’oie, rock evoking a goose
- the Three Fromages, three huge rocks stacked on top of each other
- the trembling rock of the Sept-Faux, a mobile block of 900 tons
Sidobre granite in figures
- 200 years: estimated lifespan of Sidobre granite (50 years for concrete)
- 120 km2: granite surface covered in Sidobre
- 300 million years: age of the granite massif
- 65% of the national production of natural granite comes from Sidobre
- 130 companies showcase this resource
- 800 direct jobs are generated by this gray granite
- 70% of the granite is used in the funeral