The department of Gard in Languedoc-Roussillon region has a distinctly ’Provencal’ feel to it, thanks to its sharing a border with both Provence and the famous ’Camargue’ march region, famed for flamingoes, wild horses and bulls.

That said, the Gard does have distinctly Languedoc-Roussillon region qualities such as the high number of historical sites (Languedoc’s history is far more interesting than Provence’s), the Bull fights at Nimes, and its dramatic landscapes.

In fact, it’s in the Gard that the move away from the Mediterranean into a more continental, mountainous landscape begins. The weather cools the higher you climb, and the coarse river-stone villages so typical of Languedoc’s Mediterranean departments (Herault, Aude and Pyrenees-Orientales) give way to tidy villages of stone houses (limestone and granite).

The vines peter out, and the undulating hills of Herault become jagged and rocky in the Gard, sliced through by Languedoc’s dramatic river gorges. It all starts to feel less hot and exotic and a little more like you’re in the centre of France. The food improves too, with the slightly mundane Mediterranean fare being replaced with richer food more typical of the rest of the country.

The Gard department of Languedoc was important in Roman times, and Nimes’ Maison Carree roman temple and Les Arenes roman amphitheatre are two of the best examples of roman architecture left in the world - and the Pont du Gard the largest remaining Roman aqueduct. Aigues-Mortes was built in the 13th Century by Louis IX as a new port for France, until rising silt rendered it an inland ghost-town.

Today, the Gard is attempting to modernise, like the rest of Languedoc, lead by its capital Nimes. Once a rather ugly city, it has commissioned some of the world’s leading architects (such as Norman Foster) to build extravagant modern buildings.

We at Cle France specialise in Property for sale in France through our network of Agents and French Registered High Street Estate Agents. We have sold thousands of houses for sale in France over the years and have helped many find and buy their dream home in France.

We can also help you with everything to do with buying a house in France including getting a mortgage, organising currency exchange, renovation advice, property surveys, planning permission, French translation, opening a bank account and everything to do with French property sales.

All our prices are quoted as FAI (agency fees included) unless otherwise stated and ’notaire’ fees are around 7% (on average) but feel free to ask us for an exact amount on any particular French property for sale you are interested in.

Indeed please feel free to use the ’MAKE AN ENQUIRY’ tab above to ask us any questions you have about buying a property in France. Our UK based enquiry office and staff will guide you through the entire buying process step by step from your first contact right up to taking ownership and beyond, all free of charge.

So when you buy through Clé France you can be confident that you are paying no more than the standard commission rates you would pay anyway, but you have the added benefit of a bi-lingual support team.

For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk

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