La Roque-sur-Cèze, Commune in Gard, arrondissement of Nîmes, France
La Roque-sur-Cèze is a medieval village commune in the Gard department, perched on a limestone hill above the Cèze river. Steep cobbled lanes called calades connect the tight rows of stone houses, while the ruins of a 12th-century castle crown the top of the hill.
The village grew up in the Middle Ages around a hilltop castle built to protect the surrounding population. Over the following centuries, stone houses spread around this fortification and shaped the layout that is still visible today.
The Pont Charles-Martel at the village entrance has eleven stone arches spanning the Cèze river. Crossing it leads directly into the old lanes of the village center, where houses stand close together and walls are made of bare limestone.
The village is best explored on foot, as the calades are too steep and narrow for vehicles. It is a good idea to leave the car at the parking area near the village entrance and walk up from there.
Just below the village, the Cascades du Sautadet are a set of waterfalls where the Cèze has carved deep holes and twisted shapes into the limestone over thousands of years. The rock surface is slippery and the current strong, so care near the water is essential, especially after rain.
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