Le Clos du Cèdre

A must-do is the Cévennes Steam Train ride along the Gardon Valley from Anduze (10 minutes’ drive), itself a stunning medieval village crouched at the foot of the Cévennes foothills. Stop off at the spectacular Bambouseraie en Cévennes (five minutes) for an amble under a canopy of giant bamboo trees to sequoias and a water garden. The train journey ends at Saint-Jean-du-Gard (25 minutes), where you can picnic on the banks of the Gardon River. Definitely also worth a visit is the Maison Rouge – Musée des Vallées Cévenoles (25 minutes), housed in a former spinning mill and showcasing traditional regional crafts like silk-making; there’s a silkworm farm to check out as well. You can also dig into the religious history of the area at the Musée du Désert (10 minutes), housed in a traditional 17th-century farmhouse. Sporting pursuits include wild swimming in the Gardon, hiking and cycling trails direct from your cosy home base, and pedalling along the Vélorail des Cévennes (15 minutes) as it wends its way through forest and lush valleys. Moving underground, the Grotte de Trabuc (15 minutes) offers tours of subterranean lakes and limestone formations.