Activities
The Orgnac Cave
The Orgnac Cave is a well-known subterranean cave, located south of the limestone plateau of the Ardèche Gorges, in the district of Orgnac-l’Aven in the county of the Ardèche. The first chamber measures 125 meters long by 90 meters wide, with a height of 302 meters, that’s nearly a hectare (around 2,5 acres) of surface area!
To learn more : www.orgnac.com
The Bamboo Plantation in Anduze
The Bamboo Plantation in Andouze is an exotic garden park located in Générargues in the Gard. Unique in Europe and especially famous for its bamboo forest, the 34-hectare domain (of which the 15-hectare park is open to the public) is just 11 km south-west of Alès and 2 km north of Anduze.
To learn more : www.bambouseraie.com
Anduze
The gites are located 40 kms from the village of Anduze, in Occitan Andusa, at the foot of the Cévennes. Nicknamed the "Door to the Cévennes" because it marks the border between the Garrigue and the Cévennes, nests in exceptional natural surroundings.
To learn more : www.mairie-anduze.com
Vallon Pont d'Arc
Vallon-Pont-d’Arc is an important prehistoric and cultural site. This small village, quiet in winter, sees its population multiplied by 10 in summer. Its importance to cultural tourism stems especially from its location as the departure point for going down through the Ardèche gorges (from Pont d’Arc to Saint-Martin-d’Ardèche).
To learn more : www.vallon-pont-darc.com
Mount Lozère
Mount Lozère (in the Occitan language "Mont Lousero") is a primarily granite range located in the southeast of the French Massif Central from which the county of the Lozère gets its name. It is the culmination point of the Cevennes.
To learn more : www.cevennes-montlozere.com
The High Plateau of Méjean
Vast limestone plateau, an integral part of the Grandes Causses, the plateau Méjean is the highest one among the Causses plateaus with an altitude varying from 800 to 1,247 meters for Mount Gargo. The plateau covers nearly 34,000 hectares.
To learn more : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Causse_Méjean
Cocalière Cave
The Cocalière Cave is located in the district of Courry in the Gard, between Alès and Aubenas in the Ardèche, at the foot of the Cévennes National Park which is a world biosphere reserve the main purpose of which is the protection of our natural heritage in all its forms.
To learn more : www.grotte-cocaliere.com
Stevenson Trail GR70
The Stevenson Trail, the major hiking trail N° 70 (GR 70), is named after the itinerary through the Cévennes that the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson took in 1878 with his donkey, as recounted in "Travels with a donkey in the Cevennes".
To learn more : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travels_with_a_Donkey_in_the_C%C3%A9vennes
Festivals
Festival of "Cordes Sensibles en Cévennes"
Summer is the music festival season and there is something for everyone’s taste! The "Festival des Cordes Sensibles en Cevennes" in Saint Ambroix (only 20 minutes from the gîte) and in the surrounding villages for the past seven seasons lets you discover the old traditional music of the Cévenol heritage.
To learn more : www.festivalcordessensibles.com
"Les Musicales" in Alès
This new production presented in Alès in July (30 minutes from the gîte) gives concerts for every musical taste. This festival specifically mixes popular French songs, jazz, funk, reggae and classical. Its only goal is to reach an audience of all kinds of music fans.
To learn more : www.payscevennes.fr/2eme.festival.les.musicales.d.ales-149-969.php
Jazz in Junas
This festival in Junas, near Nîmes (1 hour from the gîte), which offers a varied program in the unique and enchanting setting of an old quarry, currently encompasses the neighbouring districts.
To learn more : www.jazzajunas.asso.fr
The Cinema Festival of Alès: "Itinérances"
For cine fans, the month of March brings in the Festival de Cinéma d’Alès "Itinérances" where a wider and wider audience attends, along with film directors of international acclaim. Every year this festival proposes a retrospective theme, previously unreleased films and previews, as well as a short-length film contest.
To learn more : www.itinerances.org
The nature festivals
Close by the gîtes the National Park of the Cévennes proposes activities such as educational entertainment and walks where you can discover the plant and wildlife of the Park all year long.
To learn more : www.cevennes-parcnational.fr/Acces-directs/Festival-nature