|
Thirty-two kilometres west of Ales, ST-JEAN-DU-GARD was the centre of Protestant resistance during the Camisard war in 1702-04 . It straggles along the bank of the River Gardon, crossed by a graceful, arched eighteenth-century bridge, with a number of picturesque old houses still surviving in the main street, Grande-Rue . One of them contains a splendid Musee des Vallees Cevenoles (April-Oct daily 10am-7pm; 22F/?3.30), a museum of local life, with displays of tools, trades, furniture, clothes, domestic articles and a fascinating collection of pieces related to the silk industry. The work of spinning the silk was done by women in factories and lists of regulations and rules on display give some idea of the tough conditions in which they had to work. The tourist office is just off the main street by the post office (mid-June to mid-Sept Mon-Sat 9am-1pm & 2.30-7pm, Sun 9am-1pm; rest of year Mon-Sat 9am-5pm; tel 04.66.85.32.11, fax 04.66.85.16.28). They can advise you about the times of the steam train that operates between St-Jean and Anduze (March-Oct; 57F/?8.69 return). There is a big market all along Grande-Rue on Tuesday mornings. The finest place to stay is on the Grande-Rue at the Hotel l'Oronge , named after a rare edible mushroom found only in the Cevennes (tel 04.66.85.30.34, fax 04.66.85.39.73; 220-300F/?34-46; closed Jan & Feb; good restaurant from 80F/?12.20). There is a gite d'etape 3km north on the D907 at LE MOULINET ; contact Mme Laurtay on tel 04.66.85.10.98.
Your Tip for St-Jean-du-Gard
Help other backpackers! Write your own guides and backpacking tips to St-Jean-du-Gard - they will appear instantly on this page - Please only write a tip/guide to St-Jean-du-Gard - visit the main St-Jean-du-Gard forum to ask a question!
Please do not post links to your site here (they won't work) - please use the St-Jean-du-Gard webguide section below! Thanks.
| 
