Interesting destinations
Towns, small towns and villages
Nestled in the hilly landscape of the Cévennes foothills are stone villages and medieval small towns surrounded by lavender fields and vineyards. Aiguèze at the end of the Ardèche gorge, as well as Balazuc [Map][Infos] and Vogüé [Map][Infos], north of Ruoms, count among the most beautiful villages in France. Avignon, Arles, Tarascon, Orange, Nîmes and Aigues-Mortes are wonderful cities and small towns, some of them of Roman origin.
Uzès [Map][Info], a Renaissance town well worth seeing, draws visitors on Saturdays with its lively market. Like many other stone villages, La-Roque-sur-Cèze nestles on the slopes of the Cèze valley.
Even outside its famous antiques market , Barjac invites you to stroll and relax. In the winding lanes of this characterful village you will find restaurants, bars and cafés as well as plenty of shops: bakers, butchers, newsagents, typical corner shops and a “Shoppi” supermarket.
Every Friday morning there is a weekly market in Barjac. If you love weekly markets, you should visit the Saturday market in Uzès – probably the finest in the area around Labastide-de-Virac.
Les-Baux-de-Provence [Map][Info], a picturesque village on a rocky plateau, offers a magnificent view over the expanses of Provence and a good wine (its own appellation); worth seeing is a wine cellar in the caves of a former quarry near the village. Goudargues [Map], a small, peaceful village in the Cèze valley, is worth a visit. A little stream edged with flowers babbles through the middle of the village.
The regions Rhône-Alpes [Infos], Languedoc-Roussillon [Infos] and Provence [Infos], with the Ardèche and the holiday home at their centre, offer every nuance of beautiful scenery, from inviting sandy beaches by the sea to wild gorges in the mountains.
In Vallon Pont d’Arc [Map] you will find internet cafés (on the square in the middle of the village) and plenty of shops for shopping.
The Pont du Gard [Map][Infos], the world-famous Roman aqueduct, is not far away in the direction of Nîmes.
Picturesque wine villages and sources of good wine
Famous and beautiful wine villages in the region include Gigondas, Les-Baux-de-Provence [Map][Info] and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. In general, quite good to excellent wines can be found everywhere in the many cooperative cellars. Prices are very reasonable, especially at less “famous” estates, for example Les Collines du Bourdic [Map] [Info] near Uzès, Saint-Gervais [Map] in the Cèze valley towards Bagnols, or Les Vignes de l’Arque [Map][Infos] in Baron (between Uzès and Alès).
Stalactite caves
The world-famous Chauvet Cave near Vallon-Pont-d’Arc is not open to the public, since any measurable change in humidity would destroy this priceless site. This “Sistine Chapel of the Stone Age” can be seen as a faithful replica close to the original location. A few kilometres away, towards Orgnac, you can visit a spectacular stalactite cave, the Aven d’Orgnac. In fact, the whole region has many beautiful caves (limestone country).
Beautiful landscapes and mountain ranges
The famous regions of Provence to the east and the Camargue to the south are close. To the north lie the Cévennes, to the east the Dentelles de Montmirail (see photo) and the Alpilles. Mont Ventoux in Provence is known as a stage finish of the Tour de France. Les Concluses, a gorge near Goudargues [Map] on the Cèze, is worth a hike. The Bois de Païolive is a labyrinth of bizarre rock formations [Map].
Rivers, lakes and gorges, beaches and sea
A highlight is the one-day canoe trip through the Ardèche gorge (30 km). It is best to start at 9:00 in the morning in Vallon-Pont-d’Arc; you will then easily manage the wild, romantic stretch downstream to St. Martin. The canoe hire company will pick you up there again at around 6:00 to 7:00 pm. Alternatively, there is also a short trip of about 7 km, recommended for trying it out.
Paddling trips in high summer should be chosen with care, as smaller rivers such as the Cèze have low water levels and canoes often have to be dragged over gravel banks. With the Ardèche you are on the safe side.
The rivers Ardèche, Cèze, Chassezac and Beaume invite you to swim and sunbathe on gravel banks and rocky plateaus.
To the north-east, the Verdon gorge and the Lac de Sainte-Croix beckon. To the west, a day trip to the wild, romantic Tarn gorge is worthwhile. The Mediterranean with its miles of sandy beaches to the south can be reached comfortably in just under two hours (Le Grau-du-Roi, La Grande-Motte and Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer). From Marseille you can also set off on lovely Mediterranean cruises .
The Calanques are famous and spectacular: unique rocky inlets covered in pine trees, with sheltered beaches and clear turquoise water. They lie in a nature reserve between Marseille and Cassis and can only be reached by boat or on foot.
Vallon-Pont-d’Arc – white-water sports and wine tastings
Anyone holidaying in the Ardèche region cannot avoid the picturesque little town of Vallon-Pont-d’Arc: this is where the most spectacular part of the Ardèche begins, winding through the town like a glittering blue ribbon. The many canoeists and kayakers who throng here, especially in summer, all have one goal: the imposing 60-metre Pont d’Arc, which gave its name to the town of around 2,400 inhabitants. The naturally formed limestone arch is considered one of the most famous natural wonders of southern France and is a favourite place for white-water sportspeople – even Olympic athletes come here to train. Accordingly, there is a large choice of schools and hire stations for the various white-water sports. Fans of extreme sports such as canyoning and climbing also find a paradise here and can really let off steam.
That Vallon-Pont-d’Arc has quite different, culinary sides is clear when strolling through the beautiful old town with its centuries-old lanes and well-preserved houses: numerous restaurants and bistros, large ones with panoramic terraces and small, cosy ones in courtyards, tempt with local specialities as well as pizza. As the town is also the centre of the surrounding wine-growing area, there is an opportunity to take part in a tasting in a wine cellar. The after-effects can be worked off nicely the next day while white-water rafting.
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The Cévennes in southern France
The Cévennes in southern France are a beautiful and also very popular holiday destination. You can holiday there in different ways: there are campsites, lovely holiday apartments, hotels and everything else your heart desires.
The Cévennes in southern France are a real paradise for walkers; thousands of tourists take walking holidays here every year.
The Cévennes are the southern foothills of the French Massif Central.
Mont Lozère, 1,699 m high, is the highest mountain in the Cévennes. Mont Aigoual (1,567 m), however, is the best-known peak of the Cévennes.
There are lovely holiday homes in the Cévennes, and the landscape is beautiful.
The nature there is very special; it is also a nature reserve. You can also watch extraordinary animals. The landscape has a lot to offer, and you can watch vultures; the Cévennes are of course most beautiful in summer.
It is very pleasant there in summer; July, August and September are the warmest months, and in winter it can get very cold.
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A holiday in the Cévennes offers a wide range of activities and impressions that you will remember gladly and for a long time.
Aubenas – fortress and inn with a spine-chilling factor
On a hill in the Ardèche valley lies one of the most impressive small towns of the region: Aubenas, shaped above all by the architectural style of the late Renaissance. The old town in particular still breathes the spirit of a bygone, calmer age. Strolling through the winding lanes with their little shops, restaurants and music bars, time seems to stand still. Particularly rewarding is the climb to the castle, which towers defiantly over the town: from the keep, the residential tower, there is a breathtaking view over the mountain landscape of the nearby Massif Central. The building, erected in the 14th century, is a French national monument and today houses an art collection. On market days in the shadow of the castle, typical regional agricultural products such as sweet chestnuts and cheese are offered for sale.
Outside Aubenas on the national road RN 102 towards Le Puy-en-Velay lies the notorious inn l’Auberge Rouge (also l’Auberge de Peyrebeille): in the early 19th century, over thirty years, the innkeepers murdered 53 of their guests and were guillotined for it on the property. A small museum recalls the criminal case, which has been filmed several times. If you like it spooky: you can stay overnight in the motel directly next door, with café and restaurant. Honoré de Balzac was inspired by this story to write his tale “The Red Inn”.
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