L'Olivier d'Alana is located in a quiet village between the town hall and the forest, yet close to major roads. Massanes is the smallest commune in the Gard region in terms of area. An ideal location for exploring and day trips to visit a superb region that includes:
The Cévennes, Alès, Anduze, the Cévennes Corniche- Uzès, the Uzège and Garrigues region, the Pont-du-Gard and the Gardon Gorges
- Avignon and the Château des Papes
- Arles, its arenas, Aigues-Mortes, the Camargue and its superb nature reserves and salt marshes
- Nîmes, the Maison de la Romanité, its arenas, the Maison Carrée
- Montpellier and the beaches, Sète...
A little further away but also nearby: Aix, Marseille, Orange, Carcassonne, Béziers, ...
Massanes and the Olivier d'Alana are located close to the sea and the mountains and enjoy a protected climate.
The cottage is ideally located in the center of the Gard region, allowing you to easily discover everything during your day trips.
Massanes is renowned for its Violet Festival, traditionally a harbinger of spring. This town is imbued with a certain romanticism. The famous local fabulist Florian chose the picturesque village of Massanes as the setting for the love story between Estelle and Némorin. The town perpetuates the memory of this work with a beautiful fountain depicting the couple.
In addition to the Cévennes character of several buildings, Massanes also has a certain rural feel and is located on the edge of the rich alluvial plain of Gardonnenque. The market gardens, fruit trees, and vineyards highlight the rural character of the town.
Location
L'Olivier d'Alana boasts a very sheltered terrace extending from the living room and the gîte's living area, as well as several small terraces with different orientations. All these terraces overlook a large garden and a large swimming pool with a pool house, sauna, and jacuzzi. The cottage is close to forests and areas ideal for walks and river swimming if desired.
The cottage is located:
Distance from the sea: 68 km from the Mediterranean Sea and beaches (the beautiful Espiguette beach has a long, sandy beach; be careful, there is a naturist section at the end of the beach).- Distance from the town center: 0 km (near the town hall).
- Distance from shops: nearby villages (Vézenobres, Maruéjols-lès-Gardons, Cassagnoles, Ribaute-les-Tavernes, Lédignan).
- Distance from the nearest ski slopes: 80 km (Prat Peyot, Mont Aigoual at 1567 m and Mont Lozère at 1702 m).
- Distance from airports:
Nîmes-Garons, Alès Camargue: 47 km
Montpellier-Méditerranée Airport: 59 km
Marseille-Marignane: 130 km - Distance from train stations:
- Boucoiran is the Nearest train station 9 km from the cottage, on the SNCF line: Alès | Boucoiran | Nozières-Brignon | St Géniès-de-Malgoirès | Fons-St Mamert | Nîmes center.
These intermediate stations are not necessarily served on every journey. - Alès: 13 km
- Nîmes Centre: 35km
- Nîmes-Pont du Gard TGV: 47km
- Avignon Centre: 68km
- Avignon TGV: 70km
- Montpellier: 59km
- Boucoiran is the Nearest train station 9 km from the cottage, on the SNCF line: Alès | Boucoiran | Nozières-Brignon | St Géniès-de-Malgoirès | Fons-St Mamert | Nîmes center.
Feel free to consult the 'Map of the Surroundings-Alana' which shows many points of interest or useful links. You can search these links by category/area of interest.
To get to L'Olivier d'Alana
How to get to Massanes, in the Cévennes region, in the Gard department,
1° By road
If you are arriving from the southeast, towards Alès or Uzès:
From the motorway, you have several options coming from the north from the A7/E15 to exit the motorway, depending on whether you prefer the national roads or the motorway. Here are the options from the cheapest (more national roads, fewer kilometers) to the most expensive (more motorway, more kilometers), with roughly equivalent time requirements under normal conditions:
- From the A7 coming from Valence/Lyon:
- Option 1: Montélimar Sud exit (exit 18).
It is possible to exit before Montélimard Sud (especially if the section between Valence and Montélimard is quite busy), but the national road then passes through many villages and roundabouts, which increases the journey time.
GoogleMap Route
Exiting at Montélimard Sud, head towards Alès and pass through the towns/villages of:- Pierrelatte
- Lapalud
- Pont-Saint-Esprit
- Bagnols-sur-Cèze
- Saint-Marcel-de-Careiret
- Lussan
- Seynes
- Saint-Juste-et-Vacqières
- Saint-Hypolite-de-Caton
- Vézenobres
Massanes
- Alternative 2: Bollène exit (exit 19),
GoogleMap Route- Pont-Saint-Esprit
- Bagnols-sur-Cèze
- Saint-Marcel-de-Careiret
- Lussan
- Seynes
- Saint-Juste-et-Vacqières
- Saint-Hypolite-de-Caton
- Vézenobres
- Massanes
- Option 1: Montélimar Sud exit (exit 18).
- Continue on the A9 (La Languedocienne):
- Alternative 3: Remoulins exit (exit 23)
GoogleMap Route- Remoulins
- Pont du Gard
- Vers Pont-du-Gard
- Uzès
- Garrigues-Sainte-Eulalie
- Moussac
- Brignon - take express road N106
- exit 5 vers D982
- Maruéjols-lès-Gardons
- Massanes
- Solution 4: Interchange at Nîmes-Ouest (Exit 25)
GoogleMap Route- Direction Alès, exit Nîmes, take express road N106
- exit 5 to D982
- Maruéjols-lès-Gardons
- Massanes.
- Alternative 3: Remoulins exit (exit 23)
For our friends from northern Europe coming via Belgium, a relatively recent motorway has opened, avoiding going through Luxembourg and the Metz-Nancy region (from where you generally rejoin the motorway in Toul). This isn't a very pleasant section, where speed limits change frequently, the road is busy, and there are numerous speed cameras. Moreover, this new route is shorter in kilometers. :-)
From Brussels to Reims, the route is relatively quick, with many sections of motorway remaining toll-free, returning to the toll motorway only from Reims. Leaving Brussels, you must pass through:
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- Charleroi (the crossing is a bit surprising with expressways running alongside the houses in some places).
- Philippeville
- Couvin
- Rocroi (you rejoin the A304)
- Charleville-Mézières (then the A34)
- Rethel
- Reims (A4 motorway, toll).
- Charleroi (the crossing is a bit surprising with expressways running alongside the houses in some places).
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If you enjoy exploring the countryside and taking your time, making your journey a real journey, we also recommend taking the Cévennes route from Lyon/St Etienne, passing through the Pilat Regional Natural Park and the Monts d'Ardèche Regional Natural Park..
2° By train
Numerous TGV trains (even direct ones from Brussels to Nîmes or Brussels to Avignon, taking only 4.5 to 5 hours 15 minutes) allow for a relaxed and hassle-free journey.
The list of train stations is at the top of the page.
Car rental services at Nîmes train station have improved considerably, and there are many options available.
It is also possible to arrange a shuttle to pick you up from one of the train stations in Nîmes or Avignon, or to arrange a taxi, depending on availability.
3° By plane
Several regional airports have routes with so-called "low-cost" carriers, with regular services year-round, and also other routes between late spring and early fall.
Some larger airports, such as Marseille, remain within a reasonable distance, and it is also possible to reach the accommodation by train and public transport, or by renting a car (at the airport or at the train station, then at the end of your transfer to Nîmes or Avignon). It is also possible to arrange a taxi or even a shuttle, depending on availability.