Quick answer
The Sautadet falls lie below La Roque-sur-Cèze, about 40 minutes from La Valette by our own measure. They are open all year with free access, but swimming at the falls is strictly forbidden because of currents and eddies; a safe beach downstream allows it. The rock is very slippery after rain and very exposed to the sun.
Good for: an hour at the falls and a swim at the beach downstream, with the village above.
Not for: swimming at the falls, wheelchairs, or a summer afternoon when the paid car park is full.
Here the Cèze runs over rock rather than gravel, in steps of up to 15 metres, and the water has cut round holes into the stone: it is a place to watch, not to enter. The village above is covered in our La Roque-sur-Cèze guide; for the monastery nearby see the Chartreuse de Valbonne, for the town downstream Bagnols-sur-Cèze, for other villages on the river the Cèze villages, and for where you can swim, our swimming guide.
| What | What to know | Check before you go |
|---|---|---|
| Drive from Uzès | La Roque-sur-Cèze is about 36 km and 40 minutes from Uzès by our own measure, and the falls lie below the village. La Valette is five minutes from Uzès. | A live map on the day. |
| The falls | At La Roque-sur-Cèze the Cèze drops over a series of rock steps of up to 15 metres. Cylindrical potholes, some several metres wide, have been dug in the bed by the swirling of pebbles, and one site says the limestone is about five million years old. The place is nicknamed the "saut du diable". Access is free all year, animals are accepted on a lead, and the site is not accessible to wheelchairs. | The five-million-year figure comes from one site; our La Roque guide uses the same figure. |
| Swimming and safety | Swimming at the falls is strictly forbidden because of the currents and eddies, which have caused accidents, some fatal, and a fall into the potholes can have grave consequences. The rock is very slippery after rain and very exposed to the sun. A safe beach lies downstream, where swimming is allowed. | We found no notice of closures or floods: ask the town hall or the tourist office, and see our La Roque guide for the signposted swimming spot. |
| Parking | One paid car park lies at the foot of the village, about 300 metres from the falls, and reviews say it is often very busy and dearer in summer. A small car park for walkers on the D303 near Saint-Michel-d'Euzet is an alternative. One visitor advises parking in the large car park of La Roque and walking across the bridge to the river. | One site (Visorando) places the village about 5 km away by the D28, which does not match the others: look at a map. We state no rate. |
| The walk from the village | Visorando describes a route between the village of La Roque-sur-Cèze and the falls of about 10.65 km and 3h25, rated easy. La Roque is one of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France, on a rock spur, with a pedestrian centre of paved lanes, a private château and a chapel. | The route comes from one walking site and the château is private; its date is 11th or 12th century depending on the source, so we give none. |
In season
Early in the day, especially in summer
In summer the car park near the falls can be crowded and the bare rock is very hot, so go early, bring water and shade for the walk, and choose the downstream beach for the swim. In July and August check the fire-risk map for the Val de Cèze zone.
A day
Falls, village, then the beach
Walk the rocks at the edge of the falls in the morning, climb to the village for lunch, then spend the afternoon at the downstream beach. We give no drive time between the falls and the beach because we did not find one.
Combine
Add a monastery or a town
the Chartreuse de Valbonne is the nearby monastery, Bagnols-sur-Cèze the town downstream with its museum and its bridge, and the Cèze villages the other villages along the river.
Frequently asked
Visiting the Sautadet falls
No. Swimming at the falls is strictly forbidden because of currents and eddies that have caused accidents, some fatal. A safe beach lies downstream, where swimming is allowed.
Access to the falls is free and open all year. One paid car park lies at the foot of the village, about 300 metres from the falls and often busy in summer; a small car park for walkers on the D303 near Saint-Michel-d'Euzet is an alternative.
La Roque-sur-Cèze, below which the falls lie, is about 36 km and 40 minutes from Uzès by our own measure.
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