Richard and Wendy Curtis call their little part of the world
‘paradise’, and they're not wrong. Even finding
the place is a breeze. No zigzagging along
endless country lanes to get here, and with
direct routes from various cities you can
shop around for cheap flights. And
shouldn’t all roads to paradise be paved
with gold? Well, if you come via Alès, you’ll
see people panning for the stuff.
There are 190 pitches, so in Hipcamp
terms it’s not an intimate paradise. But
there’s something calming about the
landscape. Beau Rivage begins at Richard and Wendy’s
home, which looks over flat meadows. On
the far left, the land drops down to the river.
Pitches are spaced amongst the trees, so
even when full, the aura remains peaceful.
Aim for a spot at the bottom by the Cèze
river. You’re further away from the comings-
and-goings of other campers and ideally
positioned for quick refreshing dips.
Swimming is the main attraction here.
Any adventurous escapades require a car;
you can drive to the south coast in two
hours or to the mountains of the Parc
National des Cévennes in one. Alès, the
nearest town, is full of pavement eateries
for a decent pit-stop. There’s a prehistoric
museum (Musée de Préhistoire) nearby and
if that sparks your imagination, check out
the decorated caves at Chauvet Pont d’Arc,
where people lived during the Stone Age.
Men in loincloths? Gold? That sounds like
some ladies' kind of paradise, for sure