tourism
Beauvoisin
Beauvoisin is an agricultural village in the Petite Camargue – on the edge of the Camargue and Provence. There's horse riding, biking or walking in the forest and amongst the vineyards and olive groves which start just yards from the house. Large scale maps are available in the house.
There’s a good bus service and summer train service from Beauvoisin to local towns, to Nimes and to the seaside at Grau du Roi and beyond. Nimes also has a TGV station.
Markets
Beauvoisin (very tiny!) on Thursdays. Good fish and goat cheese counters. For daily shopping there are 3 boulangeries, a butcher, greengrocer and small supermarket.
Vauvert – large, good for food: Weds and Saturday
St Gilles: Sunday (we’re told there’s a good oyster bar there too)
Nîmes – Ville Active – textile market every Monday all day
Local Visits
St Gilles: canalside town with medieval monastery (formerly an en route stop for pilgrims to Santiago de la Compostella). Market on Sunday
The Coast
Grau du Roi: a modern seaside town with long swathes of good clean beach. 25-30 mins by car or by train or bus from Breauvoisin
Les Saintes Maries de la Mer: a family resort with good beaches - around half an hour away by car, as is La Grande Motte, a modern lively seaside resort with lots of cafes, restaurants and night clubs
Aigues Mortes: a medieval walled town about 25 mins away by car. However, a great way to get there is via the causeway which crosses the Petite Camargue: pink flamingos, white horses, black bulls and lots of other wildlife. You’ll also see Gardians’ houses with their “thatched” roofs made of reeds. Follow signs to Franquevaux (you’ll wind through the vineyards and olive groves) and then Gallician, where you cross the causeway. Aigues Mortes is very touristy but still worth a visit. There are good places to dine, a few rather nice shops amongst the tackier ones, great views from the Tour de Constance and, in summer, boat trips.
Nîmes
A wonderful collection of Roman ruins and a great Norman Foster modern art gallery, Le Carré d’Art. There’s a tourist train which leaves from the park near the amphitheatre (Les Arènes) – park at Les Arènes and you’ll see the stop. On foot, walk from the amphitheatre down the tree lined avenue to the Roman Vieux Carré, the Carré d’Art, and, if you continue beyond for a couple of blocks, you’ll find on your left a new pedestrian area with lovely cafes and sculptures. If you turn right instead, there’s a good shopping area – it starts just beyond the tourist office.
The famous Pont du Gard , which took the Roman aqueduct across the River Gard on its way from Uzès to Nimes, is around half an hour away, and the lovely town of Uzès is just beyond. Children might enjoy a visit to the Museum of Sweets on the way. Whilst in that area, Avignon is well worth a visit – a lovely walled city with the Papal Palace and of course the famous bridge.
Arles
About 25 mins from Beauvoisin is another Roman honeypot (its amphitheatre is older than that at Nîmes) and there’s also Van Gogh heritage, including the Van Gogh Foundation (opposite the amphitheatre) containing Van Gogh tributes by many artists, including David Hockney. To extend your day out and to appreciate the enormous variety of landscape, leave Arles in the direction of Avignon and turn off via Fontvieille for Les Baux de Provence - chocolate box towns in stunning hillside settings. Beyond Les Baux is Glanum, another excellent Roman site, just before you reach the small but bustling St Remy de Provence.
The stylish city of Montpellier is about 40 mins away from Beauvoisin: allow a full day!
In less than one hour you can reach the Cevennes, the dramatic mountainous area to the north-west of Nimes (and visible from the house). There are breathtaking views and spectacular countryside for walking (and biking for the fit!).
There's lots of tourist info at La Guiranne, but if you prefer to relax by the pool, there are plenty of books and games, together with painting materials. For the more energetic there are two sets of boules, badminton equipment and two good quality mountain bikes.