Le Gard

The Gard hides breathtaking landscapes

The Cévennes National Park was created in 1970. Thanks to its position at the crossroads of three climates - oceanic, Mediterranean and continental - the Parc Naturel des Cévennes has developed exceptional flora and fauna. Among the species you'll come across, 33 belong to the list of protected French flora, including the martagon lily, the spring adonis and the orchid. Not to mention the 48 other endemic species.

The only National Park to be located in a mid-mountain area, it is also the only inhabited National Park. Just over 600 people, mainly breeders and farmers, live in the central conservation zone.

The Petite Camargue is an area of fragile equilibrium, made up of ponds that become known as sansouires as they dry up in summer. Hundreds of pink flamingos can be seen here every year, delighting wildlife-loving tourists. It is in the heart of this very special ecosystem that Camargue salt is grown, a salt that is the pride of the Gard region, produced by the natural evaporation of seawater, the action of the sun and the wind.

Just 30 minutes from Nîmes and its Roman remains, Uzès is a charming town with a wealth of cultural and historical attractions. As well as its picturesque town centre with its winding streets and stone facades, the town boasts some very fine monuments, starting with the 42-metre-high Fenestrelle Tower, which is impossible to miss as it towers over the roofs of the town. Not forgetting the Cathédrale Saint-Théodorit, which was the seat of the former diocese of Uzès until the French Revolution.

Hidden behind vineyards and at the foot of a rocky knoll, the village of La-Roque-sur-Cèze offers visitors a break in time. Away from the hustle and bustle of the busy tourist towns, you can lose yourself in the village's steep streets, which lead you to a number of historic monuments, such as the church dating back to the 12th century, or the bridge named after Charle Martel, which crosses the Cèze, a charming Occitan river that flows through the department from east to west.

The Gard enjoys excellent Mediterranean weather conditions, with an average of 259 days of sunshine a year. A real boon when it comes to planning outdoor activities. Winters are mild and dry. The Mistral, a natural feature emblematic of the region, pushes masses of warm, humid air towards the Cévennes foothills, causing torrential rain known as Cévennes Episodes. Sometimes impressive, they are part of the meteorological landscape of the Gard.

The Roman conquest gave the Gard a number of world-famous monuments. Nîmes is proof of this. The city is adorned with emblematic monuments, such as the famous Maison Carrée, or the Arènes, a 24,000-seat amphitheatre built on the model of the Coliseum in Rome. As well as being an incredible site to visit, it hosts major events such as the Nîmes Festival, which takes place every year. inside the amphitheatre

When walking through the historic centre of Nîmes, it's impossible not to be impressed by the monument that stands proudly in the centre of the eponymous square. It is the Maison Carrée, a Roman temple built under Augustus in the early 1st century AD.

With its impressive stone architecture, imposing staircase and majestic columns, the Maison Carrée is a must-see monument in Nîmes, and more widely in the Gard department.

Along with its sidekick, the Pont d'Avignon, the Pont du Gard is one of France's most famous bridges. To set the record straight, it's important to point out that the Pont du Gard is first and foremost an aqueduct and is one of the major testimonies to the genius of Roman architects.

Without this architectural feat, the city of Nîmes would never have had a water supply. Its construction technique is remarkable, given that this 275-metre-long structure was built in the 1st century AD.

A Mediterranean country with a working-class tradition, the Gard is the cradle of simple, tasty and colourful cuisine. Spices are a must on the table. One of the local specialities is brandade, an emulsion of dried cod and olive oil. Flesh-lovers will appreciate the Camargue bull, which is served gardianne (the bull is cooked after macerating in red wine).

For cheese, it's impossible to finish the meal without a slice of Pélardon, a delicious AOC goat's cheese produced exclusively in the Cévennes.

It's impossible not to dedicate a paragraph to the ingredient known as white gold. The Camargue Regional Nature Park, in the heart of the Gard department, is home to a priceless treasure: Guérande salt! This is land bursting with water and salt. With the right climate and land use, the people of the Camargue are able to produce and harvest a unique fleur de sel, perfect for seasoning the star dishes of Camargue cuisine.

If you'd like to find out more about the production of this ingredient so dear to the region, you'll have to visit Aigues-Mortes, where you can still see some of the salt-makers harvesting salt in the traditional way, by hand. It's the work of a true goldsmith.