The region of theCévennes

Geographic location

The Cévennes are located in the Languedoc Roussillon region The term “Cévennes” refers to a mountain range made up of small massifs at low to medium altitude, straddling the departments of Hérault (34), Gard (30) and Lozère (48). Our village of Mialet is located to 175 meters above sea level.

Cévennes’s environment

The Parc National des Cévennes, created in 1970, is a guarantor of respect for the natural environment and the Biosphere, and is the most densely wooded of all French parks. The Park offers a wide range of excursions and hikes to discover its unspoilt environment. The Gardon river is ideal for trout fishing and swimming (river access 100 meters from the hotel).

guill_gauche Traditional, seasonal cuisine guill_droite

Come and taste our Cévennes specialities, prepared by Antoine Plantier, in our 18th-century farmhouse, a former silkworm nursery.

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Story of the Cévennes

R.L. Stevenson et Modestine in the Cévennes – Photography of Walter Crane

The origin of the word “Cévennes” comes from the Gallic “Cebenna“, which was later Latinized into “Cevenna” by Julius Caesar. In 1878, travel writer Robert Louis Stevenson crossed the Cévennes with his donkey Modestine, writing about it in his book “Voyage avec un âne dans les
Cévennes“.

This 230 km hike is now known as the “Chemin de Stevenson“, and corresponds to the GR70 long-distance hiking trail.

Jean Cavalier, chef camisard, painting of Pierre-Antoine Labouchère, 1864.

Between 1702 and 1704-1705, the Cévennes were the scene of the guerre des Camisards. The war lasted 3 years, but the repression of reformers lasted until 1787, when the Edict of Versailles was signed. Just a few minutes from the Pradinas hotel and restaurant in Mialet, in the house of Camisard chief Rolland, the Musée du Désert brings to life the Huguenot past and the history of the Camisards.

A pleasant stay in the Cévennes

The landscapes of autumn of our Cévennes

The chestnut – The fruit of the Cévennes

For many years, chestnut trees were the main source of income for the Cévennes region. Its fruit, the chestnut, was eaten in many forms (dried, in soup, roasted…), its leaves were used as fodder and its wood was used for carpentry and furniture. Today, although still present in the Cévennes, chestnut trees are rarer, often giving way to holm oak or maritime pine.

On the Cévennes paths – Mialet

From 1709 onwards, the Cévennes turned to silk production (at this time, an exceptionally harsh winter was fatal to many chestnut trees, which were replaced by mulberry trees, whose leaves are food for the silkworm). Silkworm rearing is therefore developed here, and the entire production chain (from cocoon to reeling of silk thread to weaving) is carried out by hand in the silkworm nurseries in the Cévennes.
The Pradinas hotel-restaurant is one of the oldest silkworm nurseries in the Cévennes. In the 19th century, the switch from silk to synthetics signaled the end of silk production in the Cévennes and in France. The Silk Museum in St Hippolyte du Fort presents the history of silk in the Cévennes.

Tourism and culture in Le Pradinas in the Cévennes

The location of the Hotel Restaurant Le Pradinas, in the commune of Mialet, is ideal for exploring the Cévennes. What you need to know about activities Surrounded by picturesque, historic villages such as Anduze and Saint-Jean du Gard, it’s within easy reach of the Cévennes‘ main cultural and tourist resources (Musée du Désert, Musée des Vallées Cévenoles, Prafrance bamboo grove, Anduze potteries and potters, Train à Vapeur des Cévennes, Grotte de Trabuc…). It’s also the starting point for a host of hiking trails, or simply a pleasant swim in the Gardon river. Located Between sea and mountains, on the border of the Gard and Lozère departments, our commune of Mialet is also a great base for discovering the Languedoc Roussillon region. Nîmes, the gardens of the fountain Visit of the cities ofAlès, Nîmes, Montpellier, Florac, that of sites such as Pont-du-Gard (nearby Remoulins), the Baux de Provence, discovering the beaches of the Mediterranean and visiting the Mont Aigoual weather observatory are just a few examples of the many activities on offer. Bacchus fans will find a wide range of top-quality products in the Languedoc-Roussillon region, under the “Sud de France” label, which has made our region famous. The regional markets will enable you to discover the products of our terroir as well as our local crafts.

The Cévennes

A bluish landscape traversed and recounted by the writer R.L. Stevenson, the Cévennes, the site of the Protestant revolt, is a unique, wild and superb region.
The Cévennes National Park is responsible for their preservation, and we’ll make sure your stay is unforgettable.