Nîmes - Alzon

4th - 7th October 2013

Not so easy to get across to Alzon, our next destination, from Embrun, with one of the train lines being upgraded. The bus was forced to climb up and over the range, instead of tunnelling through like the train, and we arrived too late in Valence to make the TGV connection. However, the railways came up trumps, rebooking all the late-comers and putting us into several taxis to get us to the TGV station. There were several available trains and we took an earlier train than we were booked on, arriving in time to eat outside AND walk around before it was too late. 

Station, left, hotel centre

We had opted for a night in Nîmes, a city we have been to a number of times but which never fails to charm us. We even celebrated being there by taking a more expensive room in the Ibis range, right beside the station, with room to swing several cats at one time (had one wished!), and a shower with double doors! As luck would have it, they were celebrating their first year of opening with champagne and savouries, to which we were invited. La vie est belle!

There is a big project to restore the arena and stop it from crumbling away. Apart from the experimental stage (2009-2012), the work started in 2012 and is projected to finish in 2025. Opposite the arena there is to be a new museum to display the Roman artefacts not yet on display, for lack of room in the current museum. In fact the new Musée de la Romanité (2017?) will be much more than a mere museum and will show off 21st century architecture to rival (maybe) the architecture of the arena. 

We took the local bus from Nîmes to Le Vigan, for some amazing price - maybe two euros for a trip of more than 2 hours. It’s a good trip, in a comfortable bus - and Patricia picked us up at le Vigan - where we had time to visit one of my favourite museums, le Musée Cévenol. In a smallish space which used to be a silk factory, beside a 12th century stone bridge, there are wonderful displays depicting the history, geography and economy of the Cévennes over the years - essentially agricultural/pastoral - how they used to live, what they manufactured or produced, grew or raised, documentation of their religion and culture.

A little gem of the region’s history.

From Le Vigan it is not too far to Alzon, the antipodes of the Chatham Islands, where I have had connections for over 15 years. I’ve stayed here a number of times, with various people as well as the Chatham Islanders, and it all feels very familiar.

La cirque de Navacelles

Together with Patricia and Robert we visited old friends - Martine and Rémi, Françoise, Dédé.  SO good!

It's great to see new facilities at the lookout point of the Cirque de Navacelles, from where you can view the natural pyramid formation far below. This is now a UNESCO World heritage site.

A highlight was walking the old railway track to a point where we could leave the track, with its tunnels and viaducts, returning to Alzon via the old “Paris track”, which must belong to a fairly distant past, so narrow and undulating is the pathway. 

Le chemin de Paris

The same local bus took us back to Nimes, connecting with the TGV to Lyon (SO fast!). 

  Thanks everyone!