The advantage of spending your holiday in a campsite in the Gard is that you’ll never be at a loss for places to explore. This part of France is simply teeming with natural, historical and cultural treasures. And the best thing? Your Les Cascades campsite is the ideal base from which to visit the Gard and its must-see attractions.
You can't visit the Gard without a trip to its capital! Head for the heart of the city, where the Roman remains still dominate, testifying to its rich historical past.
From the Arena to the Magne Tower, from the “Maison Carrée” Roman temple to the Augustus Gate, journey through time as you visit one extraordinary monument after another. Most of them are in an excellent state of conservation.
Round off your visit with a tour of the city’s museums: Roman culture, natural history, fine arts, contemporary art... take your pick, there’s something for everyone!
Finally, give your tastebuds a treat and sample the local specialities, including the cod brandade and petits pâtés (small meat-filled pastries). The Jardins de la Fontaine garden is the city’s most peaceful spot and the ideal place to sit down and savour these delicacies.
Every year, the Pont du Gard draws visitors from the world over. It must be said, this aqueduct, which once took water from Uzès to Nîmes, is amazingly impressive. It measures a colossal 48 metres high stretching almost 300 metres long, rising up from the garrigue and spanning the Gardon.
As you explore the site and museum, you’ll learn that the Pont du Gard was indeed a huge architectural feat for its time.
While the site is traditionally visited on foot, you can also take a dip in the river here. Even better, you can enjoy an outing in a canoe! It will take you under the bridge for a truly unique experience!
Did you know that you won’t have to travel far to see one of the highlights of the Gard tourist trail? Your Les Cascades campsite is located right next to one of the area’s must-see sites: the Cascades du Sautadet falls.
This natural gem, sculpted by river erosion, is a spectacular sight. Here, the rapids flow, one after the other, between the limestone rocks, creating a breathtaking scene. It can reach up to 10 metres deep at certain points.
But please take note: it is strictly forbidden to jump or bathe in the rapids. It is far too dangerous for that. However, a little further along, there is a much calmer section, which has been made safe and opened to swimmers.
Let’s continue our tour of the natural wonders as the Gard department is also teeming with caves. Some of them have become legendary and help us better understand the lives of our ancestors. Visiting a cave is thus a highly popular activity when staying in the Gard.
At the Les Cascades campsite, we recommend a trip the Salamandre Cave. Located at Méjannes-le-Clap, the cave is renowned for its huge size and mineralogical diversity. You can, for example, visit the 120-metre-long, 80-metre-wide chamber where a modern lighting system has been fitted to showcase the site’s geological wealth, much to every sightseer’s delight!
Nîmes is not the only town worth a trip in the Gard. Uzès is also highly recommended! Awarded the “Town of Art and History” label, it has crossed the ages, as its many monuments demonstrate.
It all begins with the Roman era and the remains of the former aqueduct. The finest vestige of this is, of course, the Pont du Gard, but traces of the initial part of the edifice can still be seen near Uzès.
Next, take a tour in the historical centre where three different ages can be identified:
The Middle Ages, revealed in the narrow streets and the medieval garden
The time of the Dukes, with the castle, as well as the Cathedral of Saint-Théodorit and its Fenestrelle Tower. Did you know that Uzès was the first ever Duchy in the country?
Finally, the contemporary period, which gives the town its real Provençal identity, typical of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region and the east of the Gard
The contemporary history of Uzès is also closely linked to the food industry. In fact, the town is home to the Haribo confectionery factory, which visitors of every age will enjoy! The visit is great fun, showing how the much-loved Tagada strawberries, jelly crocodiles and liquorice sweets are made.
Finally Uzès is, perhaps above all, known for its market. Every Saturday, the Place aux Herbes square hosts 200 stallholders selling some of the region’s finest produce. With the Provençal atmosphere and the gentle fragrances of the produce and craft goods, the market here is one of the most popular in the country.
Whenever you take a holiday in France, you can explore some of the lovely villages that have retained all their original charm. And the Gard is no exception to that rule. In fact, some of the department’s most beautiful villages are just a few miles from our campsite in the Gard.
Take, for example:
Barjac, a fortified village where time seems to have stood still
Montclus, a delightful village where you can admire the stone houses and narrow streets
Goudargues, dubbed the “Venice of the Gard”
Cornillon, a small community that overlooks the Valley of the Cèze
La Roque-sur-Cèze, the village where you’ll find the Les Cascades campsite, a true living picture postcard
And Aiguèze, poised on a rocky peak and offering a sweeping view over the River Ardèche
The Camargue is a natural region located on the border of the Bouches-du-Rhône and Gard departments. This wetland area is a wonderful natural Eden and home to a vast array of fauna and flora.
With its rice fields, cattle herds, “mas” farmhouses, salt marshes, coastline and characterful villages, the Camargue is a distinctly Provençal terroir. Its different areas are sometimes evocative of Asia, sometimes of the plains of Texas, but always tinged with that very special “South of France” atmosphere.
Located an hour and a half’s drive from our campsite in the Gard, there are several ways to explore the Camargue. On foot, on safari, or on a bicycle... admire Arles, the lagoons, Aigues-Mortes and Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer any which way you please!
If there’s one activity we can recommend, it’s a horse ride. Mount your steed and immerse yourself in the natural surroundings of the Camargue and its stunning scenery.
Ride gently through the marshes, observe the pink flamingos and admire the bulls, horses and birds in their natural habitat. Sheer joy that the people of the Carmague cherish and are proud to share with you.