Before publishing his classics (Treasure Island, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde...), Robert Louis Stevenson recounted his discovery of the South of France in Voyage avec un âne dans les Cévennes. Modestine, the donkey in question, is at least as recalcitrant as Patrick, the donkey who accompanies Laure Calamy (Antoinette) in the Cévennes - specifically on Stevenson's trail - in Caroline Vignal's film.

Let's take a look at what attracts artists and holidaymakers in general to this mountainous national park, which straddles the Occitanie and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regions.

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Calm, of course!

But not a dull calm: an inspiring calm.

In the Cévennes, you discover a silence conducive to introspection, impossible to find in the city, while at the same time having before your eyes landscapes that are out of the ordinary. Mountains, valleys, rivers... nature has done things so well that it's almost cheating for an author to describe a Cévennes landscape. Too easy.

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Walking

It's well known that walking inspires, and even more so since Ben Mazué's singing.

I gotta walk

Because I think when I walk

Because I move when I walk

Because I dream when I walk

And in the Cévennes, you can enjoy walking like nowhere else. However, even with a hiker's heart rate, the scenery is breathtaking!

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The story‍

The region has a lot to tell. After the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685, the Cévennes became a refuge for Camisards fleeing repression. During the Second World War, it was a hotbed of resistance.

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Proximity

There's no need to take a plane to fulfill your desire for wide-open spaces in the USA, or to travel to the other side of the world to enjoy unspoilt wilderness; all this and much more awaits you in the Cévennes: the southern Massif Central is accessible by car or train for slow-travel enthusiasts.

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Are you convinced? Already wondering where to get a donkey? Don't worry, you don't have to. On the other hand, if you're looking for accommodation during your stay, Inspire Villages offers you its open-air hotel in Anduzelocated in the heart of the Cévennes Natural Park. We look forward to welcoming you!

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