Explorer les Cévennes depuis les terrasses, gîtes en Cévennes

With kids

The Cévennes as a playground

Explore a garden of giant bamboo, hop aboard a steam train, swing from branch to branch through the trees… In the Cévennes, children are sure to have a great time – and so will the grown-ups.

From the Bamboo Garden to the Train des Cévennes, via an eco-friendly treetop adventure park and sites bearing witness to the region’s mining heritage, we’ve put together a selection of our tried-and-tested family outings — the ones that make everyone’s eyes light up every time.

In our opinion (subjective ratings out of 3)

In this exceptional botanical garden, ranked among the most beautiful gardens in France, set off on a journey to discover bamboo and its 1,001 varieties. Round, square, black, yellow, striped… this elegant and robust plant will hold no more secrets for you.

You’ll also admire sequoias, majestic oaks and magnolias with flowers as varied as they are colourful; you’ll visit the Laotian village and the Japanese garden… Then you can let the children run through the maze and let off steam on the aerial adventure course. This course, made up of nets reaching a height of 8 metres, offers an immersive experience in the heart of the vegetation.

We love the cool shade of the canopy and the exotic feel of this extraordinary garden!

Le train des Cévennes entre Anduze et Saint-Jean-du-Gard

In our opinion (subjective ratings out of 3)

It runs between Anduze and Saint-Jean-du-Gard over a distance of 13 km, skirting the hills, overlooking the Gardon, winding through the valleys, and passing through viaducts and tunnels to reveal the breathtaking landscapes of the Cévennes.

Throughout the year, ‘themed trains’ invite you to embark on an extraordinary journey: an Escape Game to solve the Secret of the Cévennes Express, a gourmet getaway with the Dining Car or the Train des Saveurs, a spine-chilling trip into the world of vampires with the Halloween Train, or a magical adventure with the Santa’s Train. There are countless opportunities to travel at the pace of the steam trains of yesteryear!

We love the sound of the locomotive, the smell of the smoke and the hum of the crankshafts!

In our opinion (subjective ratings out of 3)

We recommend our two favourite spots for swinging from branch to branch.

Abracadabranche, the park where animals reign supreme!
We love this family-run business, passed down from father to daughter. Today, Élodie is at the helm of this treetop adventure park, which stretches across 3 hectares between the forest and the river. The courses will guide you from tree to tree towards nets, rope bridges, zip lines… Those less adventurous and accompanying adults can enjoy the picnic area, the swimming spot or linger at the farm to meet goats, rabbits, poultry, pigs and even horses.

Parfum d’Aventure, a park in harmony with biodiversity.
For Sylvain and Laurence, respect for the environment is second nature. We love their clear commitment to integrating their activities into the forest and the river, rather than the other way round. The appeal of their park is that little ones can climb in the trees from the age of 2. You can enjoy a swimming spot, a natural beach to relax on after a climb, or have a picnic with your feet in the water. The refreshment areas offer organic and local produce from the vegetable garden or neighbouring producers.

In our opinion (subjective ratings out of 3)

People often think of Lorraine when mining heritage is mentioned. Yet in the Cévennes, coal mining has a long history. The Alès and La Grand’Combe coalfields were thriving industrial centres in the 19th and 20th centuries, providing a livelihood for thousands of people in the Cévennes.

Two sites invite you to discover the daily lives of the men, women and children who went down into the mine.

At La Mine Témoin, you will descend into the bowels of the earth to explore the tunnels and discover the various trades, tools and history of a world apart, where workers fought to assert their rights.

La Maison du Mineur, on the other hand, focuses on the so-called surface work. The entrance to the vast ‘hall of hangers’, where miners changed and hung their personal belongings, is impressive. Hundreds of objects are on display here, alongside reconstructed scenes of daily life. You will then walk to the foot of the Puits Ricard, the headframe that sent miners down to a depth of 800 metres every day.
We love the sound and light show which, every year in early August, immerses us in the daily lives of the coal miners who shaped the history of the Cévennes.

With kids

The Cévennes as a playground

La Bambouseraie

Cévennes Steam Train

Tree-top adventure courses in the Cévennes

The Show Mine and The Miner's House

Book direct