In the Gard department, 30km north-west of Avignon and not far from the Vaucluse border, Domaine de Sol is surrounded by vineyards, set back off the main road leading south to Le Pont du Gard, one of France’s UNESCO World Heritage sites.
In the other direction, the road leads north to Bagnols-sur-Cèze (6.5km), a town in the Ceze valley with an attractive central square, pleasant cafes, a 15th century clocktower and a bustling market on a Wednesday morning. As well as useful amenities in its suburbs, there is a choice of good-sized supermarkets for stocking up.
Even closer is a small Gard village, just under 4km by car, with a tabac/épicerie and bakery as well as the wine-making village of Laudun-l'Ardoise (4.5km) with pretty old houses, a 14th century church and atmospheric weekly market alongside some shops and restaurants. Keen walkers should follow the trail to the fascinating Roman remains at Camp de César just north of the village. The 19th century Aqueduc de Balouviere is also worthy of a detour, as is Château de Lascours (6.5km).
The vineyards are of course a great highlight of your stay in this region, not only the AOC Côtes-du-Rhône wines of Laudun-l'Ardoise but also those of the Rhône valley near Châteauneuf-du-Pape (25km), less than half an hour away.
Le Pont Du Gard (23km) is a must-visit during your time in the Gard – take a picnic and soak up the heritage of this incredible symbol of Roman engineering or paddle past by canoe or kayak. The roman amphitheatre in historic Nîmes (46km) is equally as impressive, as is the beautifully preserved Maison Carrée and Temple of Diana in the Jardins de la Fontaine.
Antique lovers will appreciate the ancient town of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon (30km), home to one of southern France’s most famous flea markets on a Saturday morning. Cross the bridge to historic Avignon (30km), perhaps stopping off at the river island île de la Barthelasse, best explored by bike, where you can admire gorgeous views across the river towards Avignon’s UNESCO World Heritage sites.
The Region
Languedoc-Roussillon is one of those areas of France where you can feel like you’re totally cut off from the rest of the country. Commercial tourism has been very slow to capitalise on the region, meaning you can still enjoy a slice of authentic French rural life at its finest. A mixture of landscapes also makes it a great place to visit, with a good stretch of coastline offering a totally different experience to more bucolic interiors. Whatever you’re looking for, our range of villas and chateaux in Languedoc means you can get exactly the kind of holiday you want with accommodation that’s perfectly tailored to you, your friends and your family.
