Cèze Valley-Côte du Rhône... Between garrigue and Provence

Between the Cevennes and Provence, between the garrigue and the Rhone valley, the region of the Cèze Valley - Côte du Rhône stretches towards the northeast of the department of the Gard.
Less than one hour from major cultural sites, such as Uzès, the Pont du Gard, Nîmes, Avignon, Orange and the natural sites of the Camargue, the Ardèche gorges and the Cévennes mountains, the region also offers its own heritage and natural sites which are well worth a visit... Follow the guide!

The Ardèche and Cèze Valleys

The Ardèche Gorges and the Cèze Valley, the forest of Valbonne and the garrigue-covered hillsides offer visitors an ever changing landscape.
A remarkable site owing to the quality of its landscapes and the variety and wealth of its heritage, every year, the Ardèche Gorges attract many visitors.
Opposite Saint-Martin d’Ardèche, on the last cliffs of the Ardèche Gorges, Aiguèze (labelled as "one of the most beautiful villages in France") is a medieval village, perched on a rocky outcrop, which offers visitors breathtaking views.
Not far from there, parallel to the Ardèche river, the Cèze valley has an ever changing personality. It presents a landscape which is both peaceful and bucolic and impetuous at the passage of Sautadet Waterfall. Hilltop villages, fortresses, stone bridges, steep cliffs and peaceful beaches are scattered over this region’s landscape.
Between the two rivers, the Forest of Valbonne is home to a remarkable flora and fauna to be discovered along the 300km of footpaths which cross its territory. Nestling in the middle of this forest, the Chartreuse de Valbonne is a great surprise! Varnished tile roofs, marquetry, a large cloister, a reconstruction of a monk's cell.... Built in the 17th and 18th centuries, Carthusian monks occupied this site until 1901.

Côte du Rhône

Synonymous with sun, mistral and quality wines... But, in fact, where does the term "Côte du Rhône" come from?

Our ancestors compared rivers to seas and believed their banks to be coastlines. This is the reason why reference is made to the Côtes du Rhône (the Rhone coast).

Carrying alluvium which fertilised the soil, the Côtes du Rhône of the Gard was planted with its very first vineyards and the wines which they produced were given its name, Côtes du Rhône.

The Rhone is also a natural trade route which, over the years, has been redesigned to contain the river's seasonal caprices.

The road along the Gard side of the Côte du Rhône is scattered with fortifications, Roman and medieval remains... and bridges!

The Pont d'Avignon used to lead from Papal Avignon to Villeneuve lez Avignon la Royale which is now a City of Art, owing to the quality of its heritage.

The bridge... there is also Saint Esprit, further north. Built in the 13th century at the crossroads of three kingdoms, it spans the river with its 900 metres and twenty arches.

Villages of character

To be discovered, the villages of character present some remarkable architectural features

Aiguèze: "one of the most beautiful villages in France". Built on a cliff overlooking the Ardèche Gorges, the medieval village with its paved street is an ancient fortress dating from the 14th century, into which one enters through an archway carved into the rock.

La Roque-sur-Cèze: a hilltop village, listed on the inventory of sites in France. It dominates the Pont Charles Martel and, further downstream, the site of the Sautadet Waterfall.

Montclus: the narrow, steep streets give this village an exceptional charm. Some monuments visible during the visit are of historic interest (former hospital).

Cornillon: perched on a rocky outcrop from which it is possible to admire a superb panorama over the Cèze valley, the ramparts and remains of the former feudal castle bear witness to a glorious past.

Vénéjan: a hilltop village dominated by its castle, its keep and its Romanesque chapel. On the plateau, a restored windmill is still in working order.

Goudargues, the Venice of Provence: a picturesque village, famous for the canal lined with plane trees which passes through the town, offering a shady site ideal for a lunch break and a refreshing stopover when the weather is fine.

Saint-Victor-la-Coste: beautiful medieval village lying on a hill surrounded by ramparts. It holds the remains of a magnificent fortress.

Saint-Laurent-des-Arbres: surrounded by vineyards, the village offers a magnificent collection of particularly well-preserved medieval buildings: a Romanesque fortified church, a rectangular keep, the Tour de Ribas (in which there is a model of the medieval city). Old stones, alleyways and small squares are ready to offer up their secrets...