Are you coming to Beaucaire for the weekend ? Here are the top 4 activities not to be missed in Terre d'Argence ! The must-see spots and tours to do during your stay !
Here, it's all year round the holidays... and I tested the Land of Argence out of season ! You can enjoy the sweetness of this Mediterranean country 12 months a year: sip a pastis in the shade of plane trees, watch the popes play petanque, enjoy a sunset in the vineyards... That's the Dolce vita !
We have selected 4 activities to do if you are passing by, the time of a weekend...
Top 1/ Discovery of the historic center of Beaucaire
If it is a city that you must not miss, it is Beaucaire, city of Art & History. When you arrive in town, you are first greeted by a charming marina, and we hit by this little air of 'Côte d'Azur without the sea'... Beaucaire is a river port, overlooking the canal du Rhône in Sète, which connects the river to the sea.
We walk along the docks, along the barges and fishing boats, and we stop drinking a glass of white Clairette de Bellegarde on one of the pretty shaded terraces of the port.
Then head to the historic center.We cross the ramparts and enter the walls of the old town.Between the thick walls of Beaucaire, we feel this atmosphere of tranquility and beauty !
You can, if you want (and you are accompanied by children), stop at the Tourist Office buy the game 'Mysteries en Terre d'Argence' to discover the hidden wonders of the city while having fun.
Otherwise, the nose to the wind, we take advantage of the magnificent facades of mansions often dating from the XVII and XVIII century (period of the Fair of the Madeleine), and one gets lost with pleasure in the cobbled alleys...
If you are not too tired, you climb to the Fortress from where you have a breathtaking view of the city.
Top 2/ Visit ofSt Roman Cave Abbey
We then go to the scrubland to discover the majestic Abbey of Saint Roman... This troglodytic abbey is the last in Europe, if so !
It was dug from the rock by hermits and then monks, in the 5th century AD Jesus Christ.
The place is sublime, as strange as it is capturing. Climbing onto the upper terrace, the 360° view of the Rhône and the Alpilles is breathtaking !
Once our visit ended, we took the opportunity to continue our walk to the top of the peak of the Aiguille peak. If you do like us, you might come across a wild goat !
And as this excursion opened our appetite, we offer ourselves a well-deserved break at the Bistro La Pause, a small magical restaurant lost in a pine forest, a few minutes drive from the Abbey !
Top 3/ Sensory experience at the Mas en Provence
We walk away a few kilometers to discover a surprising place, on the outskirts of Bellegarde.
In his family's Provencal farmhouse, Gaël produces organic essential oils. The tour begins with a walk in the garden of aromatic plants and we let ourselves be envoured by the scents of Provence: thyme, immortelle, lavender, rosemary... a moment of pure pleasure !
We then witness the distillation of aromatic plants and their transformation into essential oil.
Gaël is passionate, he explains to us all the stages of transformation, hydrosol, oil... He is convinced by the benefits of aromatherapy, on the body and mind. We absorb his words, conquered and cannot help but question him more personally. Each plant has its virtues, you just need to know how to use it to solve fatigue, stress, irritability, anxiety, redness...
We emerged from this ragaillardi place, with a great energy to continue our stay !
Top 4/ picnic in the vineyards at Chateau Mourgues du Grès
Last stop of our weekend. You could not leave the Terre d'Argence without tasting the famous wines of the Costières de Nîmes !
We chose a vineyard in the plain of Beaucaire, the Château Mourgues du Grès.
The frame is enchanting. Anne, the winegrower's wife, prepares us a royal basket. Here everything is fresh, homemade with love and with the best local products : tapenade, anchoiade, eggplant caviar, bull sausage, country terrine, seasonal fruits... a very local treat ! But before enjoying this little feast, we go for a stroll through the vineyards and olive trees.
We let ourselves be enchanted by the sweetness of an evening in Provence. It smells good, it's so quiet, we would stay there a few more days!
We then enjoy our nice meal accompanied by the wines of the estate. We are entitled to an explanation of the cuvées by the winemaker himself. The wines of the castle are bred in organic farming. The vines here grow on a sandy ground, composed of large rocks typical of the region, which give the wine its southern character, their fruity and elegant notes.
The sun sets on the Earth of Argence, we will return, it is promised !
