Eco-House "La Clède"

Wild nature, pristine rivers, breathtaking views, vast open spaces, deep silence and peace... The eco-gîte "La Clède" (a former chestnut drying house) is nestled right next to our home, where plants dance with stone and the rocks whisper old stories... You can retreat into this comfortable and beautifully designed gîte, steeped in silence and facing untouched nature. A return to what you truly need – without giving up comfort. The space Vast, open agropastoral and rustic landscapes by day, and an exceptional sky at night in Europe’s largest International Dark Sky Reserve (IDSR/RICE). Let yourself be lulled by the panoramas of the Cévennes sky, protected from light pollution, where the Milky Way illuminates the richness of nocturnal life and offers numerous shooting star spectacles. Since its construction in the 13th century, the "La Source de Castagnols" farmhouse has undergone numerous extensions. The eco-gîte "La Clède" is the most recent. It features a fully equipped kitchen-dining room with a wood-burning stove, and an upper floor with a comfortable bedroom and a beautiful stone bathroom. The walls are solid and built from dry stone (schist). There is a private all-stone terrace, as well as access to all kinds of terraces around the main farmhouse and various gardens with an abundance of wildflowers. You can also discover our permaculture vegetable garden and our aromatic and medicinal plant garden. A small, secluded path will lead you to La Source (The Spring) to enjoy its purity and authenticity. (This is, by the way, the delicious water you will drink from the tap!) The Cévennes provide the ideal environment for outdoor activities such as hiking or cycling, as well as climbing, swimming, horse riding, or donkey trekking. The trails and paths are adorned with small streams, local fauna and flora, and small dry-stone walls supporting the ancient terraces that cover the mountains, alongside deep gorges with beautiful rivers flowing at their feet. There are many bucolic spots in the heart of nature and heavenly swimming spots to cool off. All hikes start right at the doorstep of the gîte (GR trails). For further exploration, nothing stops you from discovering the narrow roads of the Cévennes by car or bicycle. We would be delighted to recommend a wide selection of hikes or walks. You can also make the most of the terraces to rest, soak up the sun, or read a book. The eco-gîte "La Clède" at La Source de Castagnols was designed with ecology in mind. Built with recycled materials sourced from our own land, the gîte is made entirely of stone, well-insulated, and features a completely refurbished interior. Small but cleverly laid out, it is a cosy "luxury" nest, stylish and comfortable, crafted from chestnut wood and filled with ingenious details. Our ecological responsibility has led us not to install a dishwasher or washing machine in the "La Clède" eco-gîte. You can have your laundry done by us for an additional fee of €7.50. After washing, we hang your clothes on the clothesline where they dry in the wind and sun. It’s good for the future of our planet and smells wonderfully fresh! Guest access BY TRAIN: We recommend arriving by train at Génolhac station, where we can pick you up for a fee of €30 per trip; this way, you will enjoy a guided tour all along the way! :-) This will allow you to fully experience a "car-free" week, as the house is surrounded by hiking trails that can take you anywhere. The Gentiâne donkey farm, for your donkey trekking, is just a 10-minute walk away, the river for swimming is a 45-minute walk, and the village of Vialas for your groceries is about a 50-minute walk. BY TRAIN + CAR: Another option is to travel to Nîmes (TGV train station) and rent a car via Getaround (car-sharing service) or other car rental agencies. BY CAR: To find us easily, you can simply type "La Source de Castagnols" into your Google Maps or Waze GPS app. It will guide you exactly to our doorstep. "La Source de Castagnols" is also indicated by wooden signs from Vialas. After passing by Gentiâne (the donkey rental farm), make sure to take the sharp hairpin turn that goes up towards La Source de Castagnols. Do not go straight. After one more hairpin turn, keep going straight up towards our place. You will drive through the hamlet of Castagnols and reach a narrow passage between a house and the rock face. Don't worry, any car—even a van—can pass through! From there, you are almost here. The road will come to a Y-junction, and the tarmac changes into a gravel path. Take the left fork; we are the very last house of the hamlet, just below the path. The road leads you into a large clearing which serves as our parking lot, marked with "P - La Source de Castagnols" signs. You can park there and walk down to the house. Let us know when you arrive, either by calling us or by ringing our house bell. We will welcome you in person and show you around to ensure you are fully comfortable. We advise you to do your grocery shopping before arriving. In Vialas, you will find a delicious bakery working with organic flour and natural sourdough, as well as a small Vival grocery store offering many local products, both just a 10-minute drive from the guesthouse. Other things to note Please note that although we absolutely love animals, we do not accept guests’ pets. This is mainly because we already share our home with two very friendly Labrador dogs, and we want to avoid any disruption to the peaceful harmony of the place (with the exception, of course, of assistance dogs). We also want to give you the freedom to fully experience the wild fauna that surrounds us. How about a gentle donkey walk? Listening to birdsong? Or hearing the deer’s call echo through the valley just beneath our house in autumn?