The Cevennes - A Stunning Region of Languedoc

Local Information and more about the Cevennes, just 1hr30 from the Mediterranean Coast; and the magnificent Cevennes National Park. 

L'Elzet is 11km from Saint Jean Du Gard and close to the magnificent Cevennes National Park. The Cevennes is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and is just 1 hr 30mins from the Mediterranean coast. The Cevennes is wild and rugged with beautiful valleys and gorges, and olive groves and vineyards producing the very best of Languedoc wines.

Everyone will find their particular joy here. There are sights to thrill, and excitement in the discovery of this magnificent region which is dramatic, thrilling, wild, rugged & diverse and a *U.N.E.S.C.O designated BIOSPHERE (*United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).

You'll find thrilling granite ridges, deep gorges & fabulous limestone caves, and even dinasaur footprints. There are many monuments to be found, some on the causses & open plains, others testament to history in ancient sleepy villages.

There is a rich network of ecomuseums and visitor centres which provide an environmental and cultural education to visitors from all over Europe and beyond yet is not overrun by them. Topped by Mont Lozere the Cevennes National Park is an area of outstanding natural beauty and renowned throughout Europe as a nature reserve of remarkable geology, botanical specimens, butterflies, and wildlife (see the website link below).

There are some spectacular walks and cycling routes. Active or Sports people of every age have said to us that this region is fantastic for many activities. If you like the adrenalin of various exciting sports, there is much to choose from, including mountain biking, horse riding, canoing, cayaking, water rafting, climbing, absailing, caving and a good deal more.

If you Google the Cevennes, or the regions Gard or Lozere (L'Elzet is by the border of both of these regions) you will discover there is so much to appreciate and enjoy here. and still more to discover when you return the next time.

There are various festivals through to the end of November (a celebrated month for walkers). And the famous Corniches des Cevennes is a must See and Do in Autumn too.

Find out more by visiting the official website: Parc Nationale Des Cevennes.

Nearby Crystal Clear River Swimming is Gorgeous!

The river swimming here is crystal clear spring water, with beaches and petit canyons that form an oasis so idyllic you could wish to stay forever.  Children can potter and paddle all day in shallow waters, while other parts of the river you can dive off the rocks into deeper pools.

La Cascade is actually several cascades at certain times of the year, and they have sculpted the rocks into wonderful smooth shiny glittering (in the sunshine) formations that look as though they have been lovingly created by an artist. There are some beautiful marked walks here too. and you can finish off with lunch at Le Martinet (it's opening times will need checking).


Saint Etienne Vallee Francaise

St Etienne Vallee Francaise is a friendly all year round village community where you will find a bar-restaurant, 2nd restaurant, local bakery, butcher, a general store with fresh produce and post office.

Activities include tennis courts, horse & donkey riding, river swimming and there are special events held every week during the main seasons. The Robert Louis Stevenson Trail passes through and you are likely to come across walkers with a donkey following this famous route (GR70) as written in his book.

There is also a doctor/pharmacy, local paramedics and air ambulance emergency response. is on the Robert Louis Stevenson Trail, and you can read the book "Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes" FREE on-line by following this link - HERE

L'Elzet and the region is also a perfect location to inspire painters, botanists, wildlife lovers and writers throughout the year

If you want to speak or brush up some basic French so you can interact with our friendly local community visit this link for 6 FREE Rocket French Lessons


ST JEAN DU GARD

St Jean Du Gard nearby sits on a wider section of the river Gardon and is a lovely market town. It has a visitor centre and marvelous colourful and lively street market with fresh produce undercover market and you can sit and enjoy a drink or lunch (while the girls go shopping).

The STEAM TRAIN starts here and takes you through beautiful scenery with a stop-off at the Bambouzerie Park on it's winding way to Anduze. There is also a really interesting Cevenolle Museum, Aquarium and a public outdoor swimming pool.
There are various special events throughout the year.

Steam Train - a beautiful journey from St Jean du Gard to Anduze via the grand Bambouserie Park

The Cevenol Museum at St Jean Du Gard: Here you can find out about the history of the Cevenol way of life, with an aray of artefacts and antiques. and a great deal about Robert Louis Stevensen and his writings. (*You can find his book "Travels with a donkey in the Cevennes" at Amazon). This brings many visitors to L'Elzet and the Cevennes:

Website Musee-des-Valees-Cevenols

Recommended Restaurant:

L'Oronge Restaurant Saint Jean du Gard 
Adresse Place de la Revolution, 30270 Saint-Jean-du-Gard, France
Tel 00 33 (0)4 66 85 30 34.

Review


ANDUZE

Anduze has a combination of narrow cobbled streets, and bar-cafes to sit outside of and watch the world go by. It has a great country market on Thursdays, and flea market on Sundays. There are two supermarkets, two banks with foreign-exchange facilities and three cash-dispensers, a good selection of small shops, and a bicycle-hiring agency. In the spacious town centre with its café terraces, the tourist office offers an interesting list of restaurants, and a wide range of local attractions, the best known of which are the steam railway to St Jean Du Gard, which winds its way up the beautiful Gardon valley. It stops at the Bambouseraie park containing the largest collection of bamboo, and the tallest, in Europe. There is a museum of Huguenot history.

Anduze has covered and open tennis courts; there are horses to ride, caves to visit, wines to taste, clear rivers to swim in, and three golf courses within 1-2 hours' drive from here.

Recommended Restaurant:   La Grange-de-Labahou,
Address: Zone Artisanale Labahou 30140 Anduze - between St Jean du Gard and Anduze (recommended by visitors) Tel 04 66 61 98 25
Other reviews of Restaurant La Grange-de-Labahou


So Much to See & Do During Your Stay

There are just too many places to mention here, and you can find out more if you Google for the regions of Gard & Lozere. Ales is the nearest city, and you have such as the beautiful Uzes and the Pont du Gard, on your way to visiting Avignon. Or marvelous caves such as the Grotte De Trabuc. Indeed there are several caves you can visit, including the one with the biggest stalagmite in the world!


Out & About in Languedoc Roussillon

The Cevennes covers a large region and includes valleys and vineyards to the South of Anduze. We are in the South East foothills of the Cevennes just 11km North of Saint Jean Du Gard.

You benefit from being able to enjoy both Lozere to the West (Mende, Florac, Gorge du Tarn); and Gard to the East and South (historic Anduze, bustling cosmopolitan Ales (35mins), historic walled Uzes, Roman aqueduct Pont du Gard, and to Avignon in Provence). To the South East (Lasalles, Saint Hippolyte du Fort, Le Vigan, still in the Cevennes); or South to Nimes and the Camargue; or Montpellier & beaches of the Mediterranean coast.

In the middle of Summer you will happily want to enjoy our beautiful part of the world and the fantastic crystal clear river swimming here - you won't feel the need to visit the Mediterrean Coast and join the holiday crowds there. You can visit more of Languedoc outside of peak holiday weeks, although if you stayed and enjoyed a fortnight or more you could not possibly visit everything in the Cevennes alone.

However in other seasons being just 1hr 45mins from the Mediterrnean coast means we are in one of the regions which enjoy the most hours of sunshine in all of France, yet are just 1hour's drive to skiing at Mont Lozere and Mont Aguail, including dog sledging and cross country skiing.

The closest motorway connection is reached East of Anduze - the N106, from Ales to Nimes and the Camargue, and either via further rmotorway to Montpellier or directly South from Anduze through vineyards via Quissac to Montpellier (& airport) where you can connect to the motorway East along the coast if you want a fast route to the South East of Languedoc Roussillon & several airports West to Beziers, Carcassonne, Toulouse, Perpignon & Barcelona (though we don't recommend travel to us very late at night)- or visit the feat of engineering that is the Millau Viaduct/Bridge (advisable to visit either side of your stay with us during peak Summer holidays).