Pleasant village house, Cévennes, swimming 5 minutes away

In the heart of the Cévennes, on the edge of Ardèche and Lozère, a comfortable 50 m2 fully equipped, independent, completely renovated gîte in the center of the village. Everything is there for your comfort, ideal for a couple (crib available). Equipped terrace: umbrella, table, deckchairs, barbecue. Parking nearby. Beautiful swimming area 2 minutes' walk: temperate water and 50 m of swimming in a setting of greenery and rocks to bask in the sun! Numerous hiking trails start on site. The space Practical questions: Linens provided (sheets, 4 bath towels, 2 hand towels, 1 kitchen towel) Small basic grocery store provided for the comfort of your hospitality: Oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar, tea, coffee, herbal teas – please replenish these items at your own expense if needed. Miscellaneous products provided: Dishwashing liquid + liquid bathroom soap + cleaning products + toilet paper. Household appliances: Dishwasher, microwave, toaster, coffee maker (with permanent filter for ground coffee), kettle, blender/mixer, hairdryer. +2 bowls for the doggie 🐕 Services: - In the village: In the square, you will find “Le Foyer,” which is open every day in the summer. It is a bar, restaurant, pizzeria, grocery store, and bakery (orders can be placed). It sells local products (honey, cheese, meat, sausages) and can also help you out with some basic necessities. Nathalie and Christophe also offer evening entertainment (several dates during the summer). Open in the morning only during the low season, and in the evening on Fridays and Saturdays only. - 4 km away, in Chamborigaud: Two convenience stores 2 bakeries A tobacco bar An organic grocery store (local producers) A butcher Restaurants and other shops. A local farmers' market every Sunday morning. There is also a post office and a train station: the town is located on the famous “Ligne des Cévennes” (Cevennes Line), which runs from Nîmes to Clermont-Ferrand and offers breathtaking scenery. - In Genolhac, 13 km (8 miles): Supermarket, medium-sized store (Marché U) A pharmacy Laundromat A local farmers' market on Saturday mornings - In Besseges, 17 km away: A hypermarket (Carrefour) A pharmacy Lots of shops - Ales, 33 km: Lots of shops and big brands. Guest access Unfortunately, the accommodation is not suitable for people with reduced mobility: access to the accommodation is via stairs, access to the terrace as well. Before you arrive, I will send a video showing the location of the property in the village to make it easier for you to find it. In-person welcome, or, in case of absence, via a lockbox. I live in the lower part of the house. Other things to note Cévennes National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site A little guide: Ideally located, you will have the opportunity to visit the Château de Portes, the small medieval village of Génolhac, and its market on Saturdays. Near Villefort: a beautiful lake (a nice hike goes around it) and its water sports center offering various activities (pedal boat, paddleboarding, canoeing) and, at the other end of the lake, the Château de Castanet (a nice, more peaceful swimming spot) and the pleasant "Guinguette du bout du lac": a small, simple and delicious bar/restaurant (remember to make a reservation), which also rents canoes and offers concerts on Friday evenings in the summer. And if you don't suffer from vertigo, there's a via ferrata that offers a magnificent view over the lake! In Vialas: Another swimming spot in the hamlet of La Planche, with parking access. Take the opportunity to visit the Bocard silver mine, a chance to learn more about the mining heritage of the Cévennes. Guided tours are available to discover the foundry (see tourist office). Stop at the La Rêverie campsite, which has a bar and pizzeria, and a friendly atmosphere. Specialties: Local markets offer crafts, honey, juice, chestnut products, goat cheeses, local charcuterie, and more. Closest: Génolhac on Saturday mornings, Chamborigaud on Sunday mornings. Shops in Chamborigaud: I recommend you try - The dry sausage with Roquefort from Lozère (sold at the Spar minimarket), where you will also find other choices of charcuterie and good cheeses, as well as the very good Jonte beers brewed in Lozère (I recommend the one with chestnut honey). There is also excellent organic smoked trout farmed in Lake Villefort. - Chestnut bread from the bakery in Place de la Mairie. It's sometimes recommended to reserve it. - The moist chestnut cake from the Ribbe bakery (at the entrance to the village), which also sells local products and some groceries. - The delicious apple juice (from Pont de Rastel) sold at the organic grocery store "Le Doux Panier," which also offers many locally made products, fruits and vegetables, etc. For supermarkets: Carrefour hypermarket in Besseges. Medium-sized Marché U supermarket in Génolhac. In Génolhac, there is another organic grocery store, "La Lausète," with local products. Gas stations: Besseges/Génolhac Convenient: At the bar in Le Chambon, "Le Foyer". Sale of bread and pastries (ordering recommended) and pizzas to eat in or take away. Consignment shop selling very good chestnut cream that is not too high in sugar (produced in Le Chambon). Hikes: Around Le Chambon, there are many marked trails. Towards Chareneuve and its lovely swimming spot, towards Vernarède and the mines, towards Dieusse and its tumulus, towards Sénéchas and its dam, etc. Hiking booklets and IGN maps are available in the accommodation. Tourist Office in Génolhac. For lovers of the great outdoors who want to head for higher altitudes, the "Mas de la Barque" resort, located 30 km away, offers horseback riding activities and many well-marked hikes to Mont Lozère. There, you will find a shop and a bar-restaurant with a large outdoor terrace. Swimming: - Le Chambon, of course! Le Luech - Downstream, in Chareneuve, there is a nice walk to get there on foot along the marked trail from the old stone bridge in Chambon. And why not continue by climbing up to Tarabias, for its beautiful view from the white cross overlooking the valley? - In Vialas: swimming area in the hamlet of La Planche. Access at the end of the parking lot. Take the opportunity to visit the Bois d'Argent mine and learn more about the mining heritage of the Cévennes. Guided tours must be booked to access the foundry (see the Génolhac Tourist Office). Nice bar and pizzeria at the La Rêverie campsite. Restaurants: I recommend having dinner one evening on the terrace of the Relais de L'Espinas restaurant, for the breathtaking view and the sunset (book a table along the railing). It is at a high altitude, so bear in mind that it can be colder in the evening (a sweater is recommended and sometimes necessary even in summer). You can also just go there for a drink. Simple and delicious meals. Route des Crêtes - RD35 - 48160 Ventalon-en-Cévennes (18 km, 30 min) Closest: "Le Claux" in Peyremale. Friendly atmosphere, vintage decor, nice terrace. Gourmet menu with local products. Delicious wood-fired pizzas on Thursdays and Sundays. Entertainment and concert program (see their FB page "Le Claux Peyremale – 30") "La Guinguette du Grand Tournant" in Peyremale, with a terrace overlooking the river. Friendly atmosphere. "L'Improbable" in Sénechas. Third place, bar, restaurant, grocery store. "Le Bouchon Cévenol" in Chamborigaud, more sophisticated. Further afield: - The beautiful village of Les Vans and its Saturday morning market. Lots of people! Its night market on Tuesdays from June to August (30 km, 45 min) - Nîmes, its famous arena, its Roman ruins, its gardens, its museums: Musée de la Romanité, Musée des Cultures Taurines, Musée d'Art Contemporain, Musée des Beaux-Arts. Its pretty pedestrianized old town, very nice (70 km, 1 hour 15 minutes) Anduze, its potters and its magnificent bamboo garden. (50 km, 1 hour) - Uzès and its magnificent market on Wednesday and Saturday mornings, very nice pedestrianized old town, pleasant for strolling and shopping (64 km, 1 hour 15 minutes) - The famous Pont du Gard (77 km, 1 hour 25 minutes), museum and swimming. - Arles, the gateway to the Camargue (110 km, 1h40), its amphitheater and its Van Gogh Museum, its large contemporary art center "Luma", its famous summer photo festival "Les Rencontres d'Arles" and its drawing festival in the spring. - Beaches (2 hours): Grau-du-Roi – Palavas-les-Flots – La Grande Motte – Les Saintes-Maries.