The Cevennes - Summer 2012

We continued our series of visits to the South of France every other year. This time we decided to try the Cévennes, a hilly area we didn't know at all. As usual we made our way down staying in Logis de France, crossing from Newcastle to Ijmuiden on the excellent DFDS ferry. If was fascinating to find that Robert Louis Stevenson is so well known in the area for his "Travels with a donkey".

The beautifully decorated arches at the door of the abbey in St-Benoît-sur-Loire.
[click for larger image] The weather was very wet on the way south - this is the Pas de Peyrol in the Cantal, 1588m above sea level.
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We visited the Pont du Gard again - it's such a spectacular construction. [click for larger image] The old bridge near Chamborigaud. [click for larger image]
The Chaos de Nimes le Vieux - fantastic rock formations. [click for larger image] Bikes at the summit of Mont Aigoual, 1567m above sea level.
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The Village Préhistorique near Cambous, north of Montpellier. A very similar house structure to some we have seen in Shetland.
[click for larger image] In the Bambouseraie de Prafrance - unexpectedly tropical!
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The view in the Cévennes from the gîte terrace. [click for larger image] The Chateau de Portes. [click for larger image]
In the Ardèche gorges - a spectacular view at every turn.
[click for larger image] On the way home - the Lac d'Annecy from Veyrier-du-Lac. [click for larger image]
Wine!
[click for larger image] Food! [click for larger image]
At the town quay in Annecy. [click for larger image] Storks - in a village somewhere to the East of Metz. [click for larger image]

Up in the hills it's much cooler at night than near the coast, though still lovely and warm during the daytime. Still enough swimming for John though! - next time we'll have to investigate more of the rivers.