The Gard department is the most easterly part of the Occitanie region of southern France. It has a history dating back to Roman times, when it was on the route of the Via Domitia, the first road linking Italy to Hispania. In the intervening centuries, its history was no less fascinating: it was one of the original 83 departments created by the French Revolution and, with strong manufacturing in the region, its prefecture became a major railway junction for trade in the 19th century. The prefecture of Gard is Nimes, a beautiful city with stunning Roman architecture. It has a wonderful old town which is well worth exploring, along with charming gardens and a lovely river running through the city.
Other larger communes in the department include the popular town of Uzes, Bagnols-sur-Ceze, another Roman town, now with a population of around 18,000 but still retaining many of its architectural features around the market place. Ales, meanwhile, has a reputation as a leading floral town, with open parks and historic monuments around its streets.
For history buffs, there are so many sites to visit in Gard that you will never be short of something new to see. The ancient aqueduct Pont du Gard near Remoulins is perhaps the most famous, but Roman architecture proliferates in the area, particularly in the larger towns. Aigues-Mortes also has medieval city walls which visitors can walk around, including towers which are open to the public.
Beaucaire offers stunning vistas across the river Rhone and up to the hills beyond, and has a thriving cultural scene, with festivals celebrating everything from storytelling to horses. At Saint-Gilles, you will find a stunning abbey church, forming part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with a long history including being used as a refuge during the French Wars of Religion. It remains a place of pilgrimage now, with a shrine in its crypt said to empower women wishing to become pregnant.
Food and drink enthusiasts will enjoy the acres of vineyards surrounding Vauvert in the south of Gard, where there are also two busy weekly markets. Nimes has a selection of fine-dining restaurants including Alexandre and Jerome Nutile, while traditional French dishes are on offer at the many family-run restaurants across the department, using local ingredients and creating regional specialities including paté, Gardianne (lamb stew), Cévennes (a stewed or stir-fried pork dish) and cod Brandade.
If the great outdoors is more your scene, head for the Cévennes National Park. Here, you’ll find extensive woodland across the low mountains, along with unusual wildlife. Keep an eye out for the reintroduced griffon vulture and listen for the distant howl of the native wolves. The famous Ardeche Gorge is on the north-eastern border between Gard and Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes – a perfect spot for outdoor activities and adventure, or simply enjoying the stunning scenery.
As with much of France, English is spoken fairly extensively in the most populated areas, but less so in the countryside. Some basic phrases will get you through at first and you’ll soon pick up more as you settle in to life in this inviting part of France.
The beauty of Gard is that it enjoys all the benefits of the Mediterranean – warm climate, good food and easy connections – yet is still a tranquil place to live among some of the most stunning scenery France has to offer.
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