Part of the trek will take Ray and Black through the Cevennes, a region of mountains just north of Gabian which has already been immortalised in print as the scene of Robert Louis Stevenson's 'Travels With a Donkey', published in 1879. In Pezenas, the nearby market town, a bar called 'Le Stevenson' to commemorate the event exists to this day.

		Map of the journey

The small map of France with the shaded area shows the area where Black and Ray's journey takes place. Use the larger map to follow the journey. Click on the name of the village or town for more information about the area.
Click on the name of the village or town for more information about the area >>>

Gabian & Pézenas
	Gabian, originally a Roman village - although it's roots probably go back much further, is the start of the journey. This is Ray and Blacks 'home town' and they have recieved a lot of help and support from people in the community.

Situated on a plain between the sea and the mountains, a plain full of vineyards, Pézenas is now a large tourist town, famous for its markets, wines and architecture. In the 17th century it was a cultural centre for artisans. It was during this period that French playwright Moliere spent time here, writing and helping with the performances of his many plays.

Clermont L'Herault
	Centrally placed in the department of the Hérault, Clermont l'Hérault continues to develop with the construction of the A75/ A750 motorways. In an environment full with vine and olive growing traditions, the town has a rich, natural and historic heritage.
Its proximity to Salagou Lake is an attraction for those who have a passion for outdoor activities: windsurfing, fishing, mountain biking, horse riding, hiking.

Grotte de Clamouse

The Clamouse Cave was discovered in the summer of 1945 by a potholing team from Montpellier. Its total length is around 4 kilometres of which almost 1 kilometre has been developed for tourists. The cave has two major features: the shape of its galleries hollowed out by corrosion-dissolution of the dolomitic rock with extremely jagged walls, and the abundance and diversity of concretions. They have made it one of the most ornate caves in the underground world as well as being one of the most visited caves in France.

Millau
	Millau sits on the busy south-north route through this part of France and as the northbound traveller approaches they have a spectacular view of the town, nestling in the valley. Ideal as a base for discovering the caves where Roquefort cheese matures - and to take in the local dishes.
For wild countryside there are les Causses du Larzac and the spectacular Gorges du Tarn. The area also attracts people who participate in activity sports - paragliding, canoeing, walking, and equestrian sports.

Florac and Barre des Cevennes

The village of Florac is at a real geological crossing of the schist Cevennes in the south covered with chestnut-trees and heath, the Mont Lozère, with its granite and many water springs in the North, and the causse Méjean, a severe and extended limestone plateau. It's also the confluence for the rivers Tarnon, Mimente and Tarn, which stream further into the famous Gorges du Tarn. A stream called the Source du Pêcher, flows through the centre of the town with little waterfalls and large trout giving it a fabulous character. It's a small 'multi-cultural' village with Cévenols, Caussenards and Lozerots, Catholics and Protestants, living together and proud to live in this very special region.

The Cevennes is one of France's best National Parks, a wild and expansive desert, covering nearly 100,000 hectares. The views are truly breathtaking, with a wild mixture of flora, including surprisingly, 47 different varieties of orchids. There is much for bird lovers too, with over 150 different species. There are many herds of goats, which help produce one of France's best goat cheeses called Pelardon.

Villefort
	Villefort in the Cevennes, is a beautiful village with a lot to offer visitors. At some point in its history there was a castle built on the village boundary. The castle was named Castel Viel or Montfort. There's little trace of the castle now, but the amalgamation of the two titles gives a name for the village.
The nearby lake is around 127 ha and during July and August it's the right place for all types of water activities - swimming, sail boarding, boating etc., with qualified monitors). Some equipment t can be hired from the village centre. The lake's circuit is also perfect for walkers. Along the way there are many wood and stone decorative artefacts which are sure to intrigue the tourist.

Vallon Pont d'Arc

Vallon Pont d'Arc is situated at the entrance to the Gorges d'Ardeche on a plateau of calcium rock. The river Ardeche winds for 30 km inside the canyon, and attracts people keen to try out their canoeing skills - canoeing down the river in a day. For those who want a more leisurely pace, or who want to just enjoy the breathtaking scenery, then it's quite simple to hire a boat, making it a two or three day trip, and using the available camp sites as stop-overs.

Dieulefit

Situated a few kilometres to the east of Montélimar, Dieulefit is a small town surrounded by pine covered mountains. This is the start of the PreAlpes, yet there is still plenty of countryside heavy with the scent of lavender. There are many pottery and glass workshops, with craftsmen making local artefacts. The rose-coloured roof tiles of the village houses contrast beautifully with the natural greenery of local vegetation, giving the village a special charm.

Autrans
	Close to Grenoble, Autrans gives the traveller outstanding panoramic views of the Alps. The town also offers superb facilities for winter sports, particularly skiing, with a total of 250 km of pistes.

Grenoble

Originally settled by the Gauls and later fortified by the Romans it became the capital of Dauphine: Today it's a city of 405,000 people, located at the crossroads of the passages through the Alps, and is the main starting point for the Alps. It's regarded as an international city, with many universities and cultural activities. Included are many museums, such as Musée des Beaux-Arts. Extremely popular as a skiing holiday destination, Grenoble was home to the Olympic Games in 1968.

Bellegarde
	Bellegarde, a town of 12,000 inhabitants, sits at the southernmost tip of the Haut Jura. The Grand Crêt d'Eau (4900 ft at the Crêt de la Goutte) range overlooks the Valserine valley.
In the 19th century the town was home to many industrial enterprises - spinning-mills, paper-mills or wood-mills. They were drawn by the abundance of inexpensive waterpower provided by the Valserine and the Rhone rivers.The town is now ideally situated for sporting activities, and together with the summer/winter resort of Menthieres, a family ski resort 10 miles away, provide the beginner as well as the expert skier with beautiful runs from 4500 ft down to 3200 ft.

Vallorbe
	The village has much to offer visitors, from the the caves of Vallorbe, to a wild park with Bison, and the Musée du fer et du chemin de fer. Iron working has long historical roots and the museum traces this past, using the latest in audio-visual techniques. With such outstanding surrounding countryside there are the usual outdoor activities that help make this area popular.

La Chaux-de-Fonds

The town of La Chaux-de-Fonds is most famous for it's history of clock and watch making and was the humming centre of the Swiss watch making industry. There is a large and impressive Musée international d'horlogerie that records this history. Even if you don't find clocks and watches the height of inspiration, you will certainly find the museum extremely interesting. Immediately adjacent is the Musée des Beaux-Arts which has amongst the works of art, a Modigliani, a couple of Van Gogh's, Delacroix and Renoir among a selection of mostly little-known early modern works.

Berne
	With its sandstone buildings, historic towers and unique fountains Bern is one of the finest examples of mediaeval civic architecture in Europe. The city's appearance has remained virtually unchanged for centuries, earning Bern a place on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. The city is also the seat of the Swiss government. Bern is not only a World Heritage Site but also embraces modern movements of architecture and design. The Museum of Fine Art houses the world's largest collection of Paul Klee works.
Einstein developed his special theory of relativity here and Tobler created his world-famous Toblerone chocolate. Concert hall and municipal theatre are only a few steps apart. And there's a lively arts scene, modern dance performances and jazz concerts, which all add up to a rich, world-class cultural life.

	for Home Page

Cliquez pour version Français		Click here for English version