Gard, Department in Occitania, France
Gard is an administrative area in Occitania that stretches from the Mediterranean coast to the mountains of the Cévennes. The capital Nîmes sits in the flat southern half, while forested hills rise to the north.
The Romans built the Via Domitia through this area in the first century BC and established settlements like Nîmes. The Pont du Gard aqueduct was constructed around AD 50 to bring water to the growing city.
The name comes from the Gardon River, whose valleys people have inhabited for centuries. In the villages of the Cévennes, you can still hear Occitan spoken in conversations or at village festivals.
The climate in the south is mild and dry with hot summers, while the northern Cévennes offer cooler and wetter conditions. Spring and autumn work well for walks in the hills when the heat subsides.
On Mont Aigoual at around 5150 feet (1567 meters), a weather station has recorded rainfall and winds since the 19th century. Sometimes this peak ranks among the wettest places in all of France.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
