Today we continued our journey after an early breakfast. It would be nice someday to return to the Gorges du Tarn area, there are so many opportunities for hiking, canoeing (apparently we didn’t get into the real ‘gorges’ area), and even motorcycle riding! We took a taxi to Mende and got on the train to head south to Nimes.

These 4 siblings were traveling with their grandmother and aunt we think. They were so cute, and so smart, so young and they all speak french already!

We arrived in Nimes and found a great little hotel very close to the train station, The Majestic Hotel. We relaxed for awhile inside to avoid the heat and humidity. We are in the south of France now and are getting the weather from the Mediterranean. In the late afternoon we went out to explore the city.

Just a short walk away we found the famous Roman Arena of Nimes.

It is still used today for bullfighting and concerts.

The palm tree in a plaza attests that we are in the south of France!

The crocodile fountain is famous and linked inextricably to the history of Nimes. According to Wikipedia “The contemporary coat of arms of the city of Nîmes includes a crocodile chained to a palm tree with the inscription COLNEM, for Colonia Nemausus, meaning the ‘colony’ or ‘settlement’ of Nemausus, the local Celtic god of the Volcae Arecomici. Veterans of the Roman legions who had served Julius Caesar in his Nile campaigns, at the end of fifteen years of soldiering, were given plots of land to cultivate on the plain of Nîmes. The city does however have a rich Catholic history as well, attested to by the many churches.

Details on a church circa Middle Ages.

Detail of the doorway of another church.

We enjoyed breakfast in the ‘salle a manger’, the dining room. Then packed up our gear to hike back to Ste Enimie.

The dining room, a former wine cellar.

We started our hike through the narrow lanes of the tiny village.

We continued through the woods on the shady side of the river, nice and cool.

All structures were on the opposite side of the river, where the road is.

Until we got to St Chely du Tarn, with the bridge to this side of the river.

Back in Ste Enimie we took an evening walk to dinner and found this courtyard we hadn't discovered yet.

We finished off our light dinner of gourmet salads with blueberry tarts!

Our plans were to hike the 13 km from Ste Enimie downstream to Hauterives (pronounced ‘outreeve’) where we have a reservation for the night at a Gite d’etape (translated as ‘lodging’, but more like a B&B). Robert suggested that we rent kayaks and float downstream which is a thriving tourist business in Ste Enimie. After breakfast we headed down to the river and secured 2 kayaks and as we were pushing off our B&B hosts arrived to wish us ‘bon voyage’!

Floating downstream on the Tarn river.

The barrels held our gear from our backpacks.

A small section of the Gorges du Tarn.

The bridge at St Chely du Tarn, about 1/2 way!

The village of St Chely du Tarn from across the bridge.

Fall colors are apparent already in the Gorges du Tarn.

Landing at Hauterives, reachable by foot or boat only.

The welcoming committee, along with some ducks. The tiny village was empty of people until the B&B proprietor poled her way across the river in a small boat after sending supplies over on a small cable cart suspended above the river.

We had a choice of rooms and chose the upstairs smaller room. This is the entry.

Our room. At night it was pitch black until the moon shone in through the tiny window.

We stowed our gear in Hauterives and continued kayaking downstream to La Malene where we left the kayaks.

We hiked back towards Hauterives along the river and saw the last and biggest falls, the dam before La Malene. These kayakers just bounced the rental down over the rocks!

Approaching Hauterives on foot.

Above Hauterives there is a chateau and ruins of an old castle.

After our long day of kayaking and hiking we used the communal kitchen to cook a simple meal.

And we enjoyed our meal and a delightful evening with 2 other guests at the outdoor dining area.

We had a wonderful breakfast of breads, croissants, yogurt, homemade jams, jellies and honey, orange juice and pitchers of hot coffee and hot milk. Our B&B host, Madame Barthomeuf, asked us what we would like to do today and we replied ‘some hiking’. She offered us many suggestions in all different directions. We chose to hike 6 km upstream along the Tarn river to the tiny medieval town of Castelbouc.

A view of Ste Enimie from across the river. Our B&B is behind the big building (the monastery) at the top of the town.

The path upstream along the Tarn.

The river Tarn in the Gorges du Tarn area of the Cevennes National Park.

Click HERE for more information about Gorges du Tarn, click HERE for more info about Cevennes National Park.

A very old farm house along the trail.

A town across the river.

Terraces built up the hillside.

Approaching Castlebouc.

The village is built around huge boulders.

The buildings are built right up to and around the rocks!

The village was virtually deserted today, tourist season must be over!

A rest stop.

The slate roof shingles are intriguing.

Back in Ste Enimie we were more aware of the ancient terraces built up above the village.

A medieval street in Ste Enimie.

We had an early train reservation from Geneva to Lyon, France for the multi-part trip to the little town of Sainte Enimie, France. Our hosts were gracious to get up early and drive us to the train station, then wait with us until our train arrived, 2 hours late due to a rail workers strike in France (which is still going on as I write this on Oct. 12).

Waiting for the train, all ready to backpack in France!

After 2 stops for train connections we arrived in Le Puy in south-central France ready to take the bus to Mende, France where we would find a taxi to take us the last 2o or so km to Ste. Enimie, but we were too late for the last bus. We were ready for adventure! Through limited French on my part and lots of laughing about our predicament with the very accomodating non-english speaking clerk, he was able to procure for us a taxi to take us all the way to Mende, at the cost of the train system! We convinced our young lady, non-english speaking, taxi driver to continue to Ste. Enimie, up the narrow mountain roads, and down the steep, winding country lanes. She indicated she had never been to this area before and I think she enjoyed the trip as well. We were able to find the Bed & Breakfast and were dropped off right in front!

Our B&B at the top of the village of Ste. Enimie.

The view from our window towards the monastery turned college, circa AD 536!

Our walk down into town gave us this view of the Fontaine de Burle, or source of the Burle, a small stream that flows into the Tarn river.

The Hermitage on the hill above the source of the Burle.

The story of the founding of the village and its namesake, the chaste Merovingian Princess Enimie, details her prayers to be striken with a disease to discourage her many suitors. She was accommodated with leprosy and traveled to this area to test the tales of the miraculous healing powers of the waters of the Burle. She was cured, but only when she stayed in the area. She spent the rest of her days in prayer in a small cave, later the Hermitage, and founded the (originally co-ed) monastery that the town grew up around.

The narrow stone streets flanked by stone buildings dating from the Middle Ages.

Colorful flowers decorated many buildings and the dried flowers on the doors are atraditional superstition to protect the inhabitants from harm.

An old car.

Small details.

The bridge over the Tarn river in the evening.