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	The Southern Cévennes The Cévennes is a region rich in natural beauty and incredibly diverse. Discover its bare mountains, like Mount Lozère, 'les Causses' -limestone plateaus marked by erosion, where you can discover caves and swallow-holes -and its once-cultivated, Cevenole valleys. In the Cévennes three different climates meet- mediterranean, oceanic and continental. This has resulted in the development of a huge va ri et y of flora (more than 2000 species have been counted). The Cévennes, where Jean-Pierre Chabrol (author) was born, is also the site of a speciallink between man and his surroundings. Here man has shaped the landscape by creating 'barres' on the mountainsides to exploit the possibilities for cultivation to , the maximum, while retaining a respect for nature. The area is now classed as the 'National Park of the Cévennes', and also classed as a 'World Biosphere Reserve' by UNESCO in 1985. The two main activities in the Cévennes are the cultivation of chestnut trees (the 'tree of bread'), which have nourished the inhabitants for centuries, and of the mulberry(the 'tree of gold'), which made raising silkworms possible, and thus opened the door for the textile industry to flourish. In fact, le Clos des Arts is situated in an old magnanerie (a building built for the cultivation of silk-worms). The Cévennes is also a region ri ch in history, where the Camisards, the Huguenots and the 'Maquisards' of the resistance fought to have their right to be different recognised. Living in the Cévennes, then, is about enjoying communion with nature, far from the unpleasant things of city life, among a people with strong human values. To discover

To discover
The region commands avery rich cultural heritage with, among other things, the
Roman remains of Nimes, Arles, Orange and the Pont du Gard; also the networks of Romanesque churches, stone shelters, ancient tombs and standing stones; the networks of silk mills; the Régordane Way; the castles at Portes, Rousson, Allègre, Montalet, Aujac, Brésis ...

To explore
Another jewel, preserved through the centuries, is the natural heritage. Among the notable sites to explore nearby: the National Park of the Cévennes; the Gorges of the Cèze, les Concluses (gorges) and the standing stone at Lussan; the waterfalls of Sautadet, les Aiguières (canyon), caves at la Grotte de la Cocalière, l'aven d'Orgnac, la Forestière, the abyss of Bramabieu; the lake at Villefort; Mount Lozère; the monastery of Notre-Dame-des-Neiges; Garde Guérin; the Chassezac Gorges; the Ardeche Gorges; Vallon-Pont- d'Arc; the Chauvet grotto; the Camargue. ..

To do
Some incredible sites are waiting for you in this area. It's an ideal region for sporting activities such as canoeing, canyoning, rock-climbing, paragliding, horse-riding, rambling and hi king etc. -for the more daring. Alternatively, for the more careful, there is boules, fishing, swimming...

To taste
Ail devotees of the pleasures of the table will find the region very much to their taste. There is an abundance of choice: chestnuts; goats cheese; cêpes (wild mushrooms); honey; jams and preserves; fruit juice; olive oil, cartagène (fortified wine); wine; trout; game; cooked meats ...