Le Jardin D’Eden is located just outside the historic town of Sommières in the Gard department of southern France, around 35km from the Mediterranean coastline. Arrive by aeroplane into Nîmes or Montpellier Airports, both around half an hour away by car, or travel on the fast train service (TGV) from Paris Gare de Lyon to Nîmes city.
The house is set in beautiful gardens just off the road leading straight to Sommières. The nearby voie vert is a delight to cycle on. Passing a useful supermarket en route (900m away) you will reach the historic heart of Sommières within a 5-minute drive (around 1.5km), home to a range of restaurants. The Saturday morning market in the main square is over eight centuries old, there are delightful evening markets on a Wednesday in the height of the summer and look out to see when the town’s atmospheric brocante may be taking place.
Take time to admire the town’s historic bridge that dates back to the first century before heading to the wonderful Château de Sommières where large wooden games are set out in the courtyard in the summer. Other historic buildings nearby include Château de Villevieille (1km) in a tiny hilltop village and Château De Pondres (3km), now home to a hotel-restaurant.
There are picturesque walks by the Vidourle River as well as seasonal canoeing and kayaking opportunities. Keen cyclists can follow La Voie Verte de la Vaunage, a former railway line which passes attractive scenery and vineyards as far as Caveirac (and on towards Nîmes). Sommières’ noteworthy vineyards can also be visited during your time in this part of the Languedoc.
Of course, the historic city of Nîmes (27km) is a brilliant day out with its fantastically preserved Roman sites including Maison Carrée and the amphitheatre whilst Le Pont du Gard (53km), a masterpiece of Roman engineering and now a UNESCO World Heritage site, can be reached in less than an hour by car.
The exquisite town of Uzès (43km) hosts an especially beautiful market beneath the plane trees of Place aux Herbes on a Wednesday and Saturday morning whilst history lovers will also appreciate a trip to Aigues-Mortes (33km) with its ramparts dating back to the 12th century.
Even the wild landscapes of the Camargue are just over an hour away, perhaps combined with a trip to Arles (59km) to experience the Provençal town’s art galleries, restaurants and Roman sites. If you prefer to spend the day by the Mediterranean then La Grande-Motte and Le Grau-du-Roi are both just over half an hour away.
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.
